The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-25
a slow one and not to be harvested in

a SLOW one ana nOLs 10 De Lehl Sesleu ~
a single year like corn or wheat or cotton
There are com para lively few mule breeders
operating stock farms just now Il will
take some time to get these farms in OPP
Grafton, purchase the jacks and brood
mares. Then there will have to be q
long wait and a year or so to bring the
mule colt to maturity. Altogether 1t WILL
take three or four years to get any re-
turn from an investment made now IN
mule breeding. By the time the mules
are put upon the market there will be
mule famine. There is the prediction, il
it can be called prediction, based up
on the solid fact that the United States
has cut down its output of mules from
SO to so per cent. just at time When
the demand for mules has become greater
than ever because Of war.
NUMBER EXPORTED.
The export Of mules from this country
a. year ago was not over 1000 annually.
In 1897, with the Cuban war, it rose
10 5000 3 It was probably 10000 to 23,OCd
last year and will be even greater for
1860. The Spaniartis first began the ex-
pert OF mules for use in the Cuban revo-
lutiorf. They found the animals extreme
~ valuable ard indeed necessary IN their
campaigns against the CubanS In the
mountains. They have to travel long dis
ed large numbers of pack-muleS. animals
that could stand the citrate of Cuba.
A Spanish commission was established at
New Orleans for the shipment of mules.
to Cuba and perhaps 10000 were sent to
that island to help subdue the Cubans.
On the very eve Of the war between the
United States and Spain, Spain still had
a large number of mules in this country,
A cargo of the animals had been placed
Upon the Spanish steamer Buenventura
which was about leaving for Havana,
when an order from Washington stopped
the shipment, on the ground that the
mules were intended for the Spanish Ar
my, to be used against this country. The
animals were disambarked and driven
back to the stock yards. and the Buena-
ventura which had remained here danger
ously late, in order to take on the ami
mails put to sea, only to be captured by
the American fleet in the Gulf ana con-
demmed as Il prize of war. The decision
was subsequently, reversed and the value
of the vessel paid over to the owners
The Spaniards announced themselves
well pleased with the American mules.
and declared that bountiful supply OF
these animals doubled the eft1ciepcy OF
an army operating in the field. and nav.
ing long expeditions to make. w hen
the United states went to war with Spain.
it profted by the experience OF that
country, and supplied its army in Cuba
with a large force of mules. The same
thing was done in the Philippines. and
the Government demand called tor lo,uVo
animals.
Then came the Boer war. The British
War Office had heard of the experience
of Spain and the United States In the
use Of mules in war, and decided to try
the animal 1t also made New Orleans
the headquarters of the mule purchasing
business. Some H,OG0 or 1900 mules
have already been sent to South Africa
The animals have given satisfaction to
the British Government, so much so
that the order has been increased to
q, Geo, and will probably run up to 1900,
witt, frcm three to four cargoes of mules:
leaving New Orleans each week. The
Rcer sEmpathizers in Cape Colony Fave
sendeayored to arouse a prejr6fce against
the American animal brought there. and
the papers, which are known to be luke
warm, ere filled With stories that the
imported mule have brought CHAMBERS,
clarion and other diseases into the coun-3
try. There is an outbreak Of CHAMBERS
among the animals. hut that outbreak
came from the animals landed in South
Africa. and was possibly due to the ex-
hausted condit ton in which the animals
reached Africa. which rendered them
prone to 1.-THE many diseases that prevail
there destructive to- horses and mules
ARE INOc ULATt1D:s3
r. The Afrikander prote5t3agatLst the I'M
pcrtation of American mules has led the
British Government 10 order the inocufa-.
ton Of ali the animals With the zPasteur
serum before being shipped from here
but this inocula ton has shown not q;
single sg.anderel animal thereby going
$fHaf
Of glanders among the American pack
animals was not brought there BIZ them.
IN no wise dtssuaded by the protests of
the native farmers OF the Cape Colony
against the importation Of American
mules. the British War Once WAl increase
the amount Of its purchs SEES: and. after
experimenting iti Italian and Anda lus-a
ian nulesit has closed its purchasing
bureaus tnsNaples and Gibraltar; and will
use oniysAmerican animals bought In the
southwest and shtpped thropshs New
Orleans.
4 me ertent sof the .ppurchasess viii de- de-
bend; Sofs course. on the dura ton tile