The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-02
CONCERNING THE DONKEY.

|
 He Has Some Characteristics That ar' 1 Not Wholly Uninteresting.
 1 Tn the care of donkeys in our climate
 it is common mistake to suppose that | they are not sensitive to cold. A don
 key, on the contrary, cannot begin tc stand the degree of cold which is com fortably supported by the horse. II other respects, he is a far easier animal to care for than the horse. As beast of burden, his endurance is greater; he
 may be fed coarse herbage and will
 thrive upon it. His coat needs regular
 brushing, but not that particular
 grooming without which the horse can
 not be kept in health. In England, the
 costermongers donkey is SO invaluable
 to his master that he is known as ''the
 poor mans horse" while in France the
 baudet and in Spain the barrico-a
 larger, heavier type of ass which is
 used for -breeding-is of equal inn
 portance. The term donkey refers to
 the ordinary dun color of the ass's coat,
 and has come to be the popular name
 by which he is known to English
 speaking people. In the treatment of
 the donkey the essential thing to re-
 member is to house him warmly in
 winter, being careful never to expose
 him to snow or to extreme cold.
 The staple food for the ass in sum- mer is grass. but if hard work and long
 daily journeys are required of him he must have oats and beans in moderate
 -to 1o int ie good hay, with roots. Turnips and car rots are excellent roots, of which the animal never tires Still another mis- taken idea is that donkeys like missiles. As matter of fact, the donkey will eat missiles if nothing more appetizing be offered him; he is not dainty in his tastes, but will eat almost anything, very like the goat. The thistle as a del- icacy, however, is really enjoyed only by the camel.
 As a pet, the donkey is most inof- fensive little animal, which may be cared for by any fairly intelligent man or boy instead of an experienced groom.
 His only vice is that of obstinacy, which is the natural outcome of gene rations of harsh and inconsiderate His mouth is so callous to the bit that it is temptation to ignor ant boyhood to consider the poor crea- ture incapable of feeling pain. His thick hide and rough coat fortunately protect the body from the torturing sting Of flies
 The donkey is not excitable, but his emotions are strong enough to make him devotedly fond of a master who will pet and care for him. When he is rained by kindness he will learn to 'ollow likt a dog. Because of the asss even temper the Egyptians much pre- 'er the ass to the horse. except, We are old on "occasions of parade" The lorse is chiefly valued in the east as a charger for war purposes; the ass s the back for daily use where the nuch-enduring camel is not employed, \ wealthy Copt will give as much as wo hundred pounds for a white Ass of yood stature and easy paces. Even at the present day, the native Egyptian likes to ride the quiet ass, which neither rears, plunges, nor shies, md keeps a steady pace, fast enough Inder tropical sun"
 EuL MT. .. eSluilty, dH EiSliSn WIFI | CT of authority on the equine species, | oes not fancy the donkey as mount ! or boy to study horsemanship, The | he declares. has not riding houlders and does not afford a proper eat for a saddle. The riders of don .ey races sit on the hind quarters Anatomically considered, the ass is es- | beast for the pack saddle" f ts callous moutlls will .s'd the eques- rian into bad habits. if he has later to deal with the exquisitely tender louths of horses. All donkey riders ot packed in Oriental saddles must old on by the bridle, a habit fatal to ood horsemanship.'
 On the otller hand Mr Sidney speaks of what may be done -ith donkeys in harness A good don ey is Invaluable for family use when 0 is harnessed to a cart of appropriate ze As a humble servant of all work e is not expensive to purchase or to eed' With well-trained donkey a lrtload of children is safe from the anger of "those sudden ebUlliti5ns 0c which sometimes bring the lberest ponies to grief" MT. Sidney pes on to say that the London coster- longer hawkers of fruit, fish and veg a b1es are by no means unkind in the eatment of their donkeys "The pace 1 which the costers' asses travel, the { stance they complete in a day with a eIl-baIanced load on their clever go lrts, and the sleek Appearance of the l limals prove that in the main they l e well treated-often better treated , lan than the costers' wives-and they ust be we'll fed. The owner of a ny fast donkey, on the Brighton road, ! f
 answer to an inquiry as to how he s q him, replied; Like a racehoss.' "- z UT Animal Friends. y