Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-02-04
THE CATALONIAN JACK.
Luke N. Emerson, the Veteran I'm.
porter, Tells All About This
Famous Breed.

sn jack ana leiliiet. Nenefai La
ayette after his return to France
tlso presented him with fine jack
which was bred to the Spanish
ennet and produced the famous jack
Compound" " which sired some
mules that were sold after Washing
IONS death for upwards of 5000
each. This gave rise to consider
able interest in the rearing of mules,
not only in Virginia but in Kentucky
and Tennessee, and other states soon
fell into line. Perhaps the credit is
due to the Honorable Henry Clay, Of
Kentucky, for Introducing the Span
ish jack in that state. These fine
jacks soon made the "blue-
grass region famous for the SUI
perior mules sired by these i'm
ported Jacks. Mules were one of
the greatest staples of Kentucky be-
fore the war. Less is perhaps
known of the different breeds of
Jacks than any other character of
live stock. This may be said to be
true even in those sections in which
they are best known. While in
many sections of our country alb
solutely nothing is known of them.
They simply know that donkey is
a donl ey and that is the end of it.
Now we conceive it to be of the
utmost Importance that breeders es-
pecially, should make themselves
familiar with all the different breeds
because there is a vast difference be-
tween them, not only in appearance
and color, but also in their value as
adopted to our country. If a man
wants a buggy horse he will hardly
buy a Percheron. And if he wants
to raise the best animal for beef he
will scarcely invest in the Jersey.
There is also as great difference in
Jacks as adapted to the use of man.
We find the jack the first animal
domesticated by man for the pur-
pose of bearing his burdens and
transporting him in tedious marches
and travels. We find him men
toned with respect in Genesis.
That he was carefully reared and
bred by King David. That he is
the only one of the lower animals of
which we have record to whom was
given the divine power of speech,
which he seems to have used with
moderation and discretion in a
short conversation with Balaam.
That on him alone was conferred the
undying honor of conveying our
Saviour into the proud city of
Jerusalem. The wayward son of
David (Absalom, the Boulanger of
the Jews) rode upon a mule be-
meath the i'll fated branch that
caught his falling locks, besides
these distinguished honors we find
that in other countries and climes
they possess distinguished char
acteristics unknown to our own do
mestic ass. That in the mountain
Businesses of Arabia they are said to
be so fleet of foot that no horse can
overtake them even in a country
where the horses are described as
being as fleet as the wind. He was
also used in ancient times the same
as he is to-day for the propagation of
mules.
Of all the different breeds of Jacks
imported to this country none have
given SO good satisfaction as the Cat
alonian. This breed has always
been popular and Justly so for the
propagation Of mules of certain
quality. They are unsurpassed,
and those who are engaged in rear
ing them need never fear but that
the demand for them will be active
and prices remunerative. They
have many valuable qualities and
among these is that of color, being
all brown and blacks with white
points, the majority have a very
glossy jet black coat of short hair
that is greatly sought after, besides
they are a jack Of good size, varying
from IA to Is hands. While they
have not a large bone, they have a
very flat and clean one. There is
no such things as gray jack in
Catalonia. He is also a jack OF
great style and beauty and of su-
perb action.
This race is one of excellent breed
ers as they have proven in all the jack
producing states. Their mules are
handsome, quick, active and good
sellers and mature very early. They
are named from the section of coun-
try in which they are found, this be-
ing the northern part of Spain, en-
bracing all the department known
as Catalonia. The supply is good
in this territory The Pyrenees is
limited and almost exhausted by
the large importations made by L.
NJ. Emerson to America. The large
bone of the Kentucky jack is well
known and is perhaps given by
their unsurpassed limestone soil.
But the Catalonia jack has bone
more devoid of flesh and is per-
haps of a finer texture than our
American stock, as is shown in the
aforementioned ae con1parad with fbn