The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-12-04

a bit below the average in both size
 and quality, and are wanted for sery- | ice with the English army in the Trans vaal, it being the intention to make ot | them pack animals although they are | not up to the standard established by our government for the same kind of animals. Maj. Scobell of the English army was in charge of the party mak- l ing purchases here for the army. He | had several other officers to assist him and two veterinary surgeons Each of the mules was brought out from the
 big brick stables and examined separ- ately. First, the teeth were examined. This was to determine the age of the , animals and the soundness of the mouth
 and teeth. The age of the animal can
 be determined by the mule dealers
 within six months by the cups and
 markings in his teeth. The same signs
 are observed in an examination of the
 mules teeth as ip. the examination of
 horses teeth. The five-year-old mule
 has a full set of teeth. All colt teeth
 are in at the age of two years. There
 are four colt teeth when three years
 old and only one colt tooth when four
 years old. The use of "one" is meant in the sense of one tooth on a side of
 the mouth Cups and other condi-
 tions tell of the age of the mules when
 they get beyond the age of colt teeth.
 Several mule buyers were asked if
 these signs to be read on the teeth had ever failed, but not one could be found who knew of an instance. The animals now being purchased by England are from 1872 to 141a hands high. The night is secured by placing scale with inches marked on it beside the mule and then adjusting a sliding arm to the required night. Flight" is obtained by the night of the foreshoulder above the ground at a point by the forefoot! Other points involved in the selection of the animal require that he be looked over carefully and every portion of his anatomy fully 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 hunts for splints, curbs, spavins, ringbones, jacks, bad eyes, fistula, pole-evil, bad feet, cracked feet, and he 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 swelling or abnormal growth in conse- quence. "Ringbone' Is growth just above the hoof. "Pole-evil' Is a sore or growth between the ears. "Fistula" Is an injury on the withers. The colors which sell best are blue, black, red, sor- rel, iron gray and brown
 Some of the largest stables in East St. Louis near the stock yards are those devoted to the sale and housing of mules, and some of the comfortable for tunes which have been amassed by Mis- come from the musicaly voiced animals. There Is not dealer in St Louis or East St. Louis who will not say with all seriousness that if the coat of arms of the sovereign state of Missouri is ever changed 1t will not be complete un- less 1t has the head of good old Mis- souri mule as a part of it.-St. Louis sf|