The Holt County sentinel., 1899-12-08

/ vary IN height and style and strength
! The largest mules used were sixteen
hands high and the smallest fourteen
| hands high, every horseman knowing
| that 10y hand | inches Is meant.
| Many ANIMALS were disguised uf 10 the
| government that could not have been
! sold TO the regular customers at the deal
srs to advantage, the regular custUnrr
, beng railroad builders. mine owners and
street raIiroads. Mules have heen known
10 sell for as high az 500 each. but the
number that has reached that price can
he told by nearly every dealer IN Fast
st Louis. The number Of mules selling
for 600 each Is much greater, and there
are several mule teams in st. Louis
each uf the animals having cost that
much. These fancy prices are Tor mules
winch have not ,nly height, weight,
youth and style and action, but have
peculiar markings in their haIr which
make them excellent ard almost start
ling matches one for the other.
The most recent extensive buyrfs In
the Fast St LOUIS market are the uifi-
Gers of the English army who paId on an
average 80 ~ for each uf the 230l All
mails they bought. The animals we're "a
bit below the average IN both size and
guaity. and are wanted for service with
the English army in the Trausvaal. 1t
being the intention to make uf them
pack ANIMALS" although they are not
up to the standard estah! dashed by our
government for the same kind Of AM
mails. Maj. Scobell, OF the English army.
was in charge Of the party making pur-
chases here for the army. He had srv-
eral other officers 10 assist him and two
veterinary surgeons. Each of the mules
was brought out from the big br ok
stables and examined separately. FIRST.
the teeth we're examined. This WAS Ia
determine the age of the animals AMI
the soundness of the mouth aud teeth.
the age Of the animal can be determined
10y the mule dealers within SIX manth-
by Lha cups aud markings IN the teeth
The same signs are observed IN an eX.
animation Of the mules teeth a. ~ the
examination Of horses teeth. The > ear
old muls has a full set of teeth All
colt teeth" are IN at the age Of > YEAR.
There are four colt teeth when ; ears
old and only ole colt tooth when year=
nli. The use OF "on-" 80 meant IL tie
sense Of one tUnth on il side Of the mouth.
Cups and other conditions tell uf the
age Of the mule. when they get beyond
the aye Of colt teeth. Srvrra! mule bIy
on the teeth had eyer failed. but cot !
one could be found who knew of an III
stance. The ANIMALS now being pur
chased 10y England are from I'll, To IN, |
hands high. The height Is secured 10y /
placing "a scale with inches marked Oh |
It beside the mule and then adjusting IL |
"nrght" IL obtained by the height Of /
the foreshoulder above the ground at "A /
point by the forefoot. Other point. III
volved IN the selection uf the animal t. /
quire that he he looked over cHrrfuil, /
and every por:ipn Of hIs anatou y fuliy I,
examined, hoofs and JOINTS being noticed ,
particularly. One OF the mule dealers
was asked what the buyer watched for ,
when he looked over an animal. and an
swered quite readily:
Well, he hints for splints. curh-, spav-
ins. rlngbDnes, jacks, bad eyes, iistula.
pul-evIl, bad feet, cracked feet, and lie
tests a mules action, style, quality and
wind and wants to examine their hair"
Some Of the expressions explain them
selves. but there are Others which are
less easy To understand. The "splInt"
is an enlargement or growth on the bone.
Curb" is an injury in the hook and a
swelling or abnormal growth IN conse
quence. "Ring-hune" IL "A growth Just
above the husf "Pulr evii'' IL a sore or
growth between the ears. "FIsrula" is
an injury on the wIthers. The colors
which sell best are blue. black, red. sor-
rel. iron gray ami brown.
Some Of the largest stables in East
~. Louis near the stock yards are those
devoted to the sale and housing nf mules,
and some OF the comfortable fortunes
which have been amasssd 10y Missouri
lans come from the muslcaliy voiced AM l
mas There Is not dealer in 81 Louis +
nr East ST Louis who will not say with ,
4ll seriousness that II the coat of arms
u the sovereign state IL Missouri is ever
IT will not he complete unless
[ has the head OF good old Missouri {
mule as a part Of it-Jewell ii. Aubere y
q Globe.Democrat.