The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-04
MULE BREEDING PAYS WELL.
A BOON EXPECTED WHEN WORK
BEGINS ON THE CANAL.
Steady Increase in the Price OF Mules In
the Last Few Years-The World Can't
Do without Such Hardy Workers
big Plant the BOer War Started,

the Last Few Years-The World Cam
(; DO without Such Hardy Worker,
| Big Plant the Boer War Started
/ livestock experts are predicting that the
| big money Of the next few years TO be made
| In stock will be gathered in by the breeders
| OF mules. When construction work on the
! Panama Canal begins In earnest, they say
the price Of mules is bound to jump, be-
cause these arc the only animals. that can
stand the intense heat Of that section and
keep on working. The West Indies, Africa
and the Philippine Islands have also been
drawing heavily upon this country for
mules, and the American mule is increasing
In favor as part Of the equipment OF Euro
pean armies.
As matter Of fact mules have been stead
lily rising in value. In Texas, Kentucky,
Tennessee and Missouri there are big mule
farms which have enriched their owners
in the last ten years. Yet, for some reason
or another, the former mule breeding Sec
tons are not producing mules fast enough
to supply the demand and their produce
ton is declining. Not many years ago
Kentucky had 5000 jennets, while now
there are not more than $500. The same
decline is noted in Texas Missouri and
Tennessee.
The mule has been the standard work
animal Of the Southern States for many
years. 1t is there, OF course, that he -four
ishes most. Texas tops the list with 407,-
900, with Missouri next with 200 900. OF
all the Southern States Virginia boasts OF
the smallest number, 1900. The average
value OF the mule in these States runs from
$40 to $S5. In the United States the mule
averages $40 more a head in value than
the horse-$7249 to s62.25. There are
nearly 100000 mules, as compared with
$1,000, 900 horses.
On the big Southern plantations, mules
in immense numbers are used. On the
biggest one in Louisiana, that of the Leon
Godichaux Company, from 1000 to 1900
hules are worked the year round. Climatic
conditions make the mule more to be re-
lied on than the horse in the rice, cane and
cotto, districts, and as these are being bet
Ter ans more intelligently worked, the de-
mand II" mules increases.
Inc Mule has advantages over the
horse whl'h have come to be recognized
by men VIII, work the two side by side In
Lhe nrst piate, he pays the breeder better
because he ca be put on the market year
OF TWO sooner He is not as expensive to
raise as the hors. because he is in condition
20 70 90 Gooo W VOTE TX ong before the horse can
the mule can be pu, in the field and kept
there until old age ovrtakes him
The mule is also heathier than the horse
he is rarely subject othe horse diseases,
nor is he likely to hav. blemishes which
mule. if there are any blenishes, they do
not impair his value, because he is pur-
chased for work and not 70. beauty. He
is not SO nervous or high arung as the
horse. He has saner instinct of self |
preservation; will stand greater hardships.
has more vitality, and when pi,perly In.
structed is steadier and more reliatle,
When 1t comes to breeding, the two or !!
more years saved in handling mems biz !
profit. The mule, too, is always slable' |
The mule market Is never glutted; intact, |
the market comes to the mule rather han |
the mule to the market 1t matters not
whether 1t is time Of peace or war, the e.
mand for mules is always large. As wa
necessity, the mule is universally recognized
As work animal. the hauler Of cart andl
dray, he will stand more wear and cost less
to keep, Down South one part of the ration
OF mule Is molasses, and another cotton
seed meal.
The biggest mule market in the world
for several years was Lathrop. Mo-. and
the citizens there had visions of holding
the title for years. This was when the
Boer war was on, and the Missouri mule
was in big demand in South Africa. The
British Government organized a mule
company, which had its headquarters
and hundreds Of acres leased for pasturage.
This was encircled with costly fencing
and elaborate pens were built
When the war ended the mule market
was left in bad shape. For a time there |
was hope that the English would revive !
the mule camp for the purpose OF restock- |
ing the depleted farms Of South Africa and !
I he work OF concentrating 10000 mules ,
there was actually begun. But when this
project was partly finished the agents re-
cctved word to close up and core home.
The United States War Department
the idea of buying the plant, |
but gave it up. Tho mammoth barns and |
fences have gone to decay, the vast tracts |
Of pastuEage have either been sublet or |
restored to cultivation, and the big schemes |
Of department stores, electric LIGHT plants |
and other enterprises have been abandoned. |