The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-31
Great Is the Mule

Livestock experts are predicting
that the big money of the next few
years TO be made in stock will be gath
cred in by the breeders of mules. When
construction work on the Panama ca
nal begins in earnest. they say, the
price of mules is bound to jump, be-
cause these are the only animals that
can stand the intense heat of that Sec
ton and keep on working. The West
Indies. Africa and the Philippine Is
lands 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 a matter of fact, mules have been
steadily 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 rea son or an
other, the former mule-breeding sec
tions are not producing mules fast
enough to supply the demand and their
production is declining. Not many
years ago Kentucky had $4,000 jen-
nets, 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 tiourishes most. Texas tops the
list with 100000. with Missouri next
with 100000. OF all the Southern states
Virginia boasts of the smallest num-
Der, $1,000 The average value of the
mule in these states runs from $40 to
$S5. In the United States the mule
averages $40 more head i'm value
than the horse-$72.40 TO $62. rs. There
are nearly 100000 mules, as COM
pared with 100000 horses.
On the big Southern plantations
mules in immense numbers are used i.
On the biggest one in Louisiana, that
of the Leon Godichaux Company, from
1000 TO 1900 mules are worked the
year round. Climatic conditions mako
the mule more to be relied on than
the horse in the rice. cane and cotton
districts, and as these are being bet
ter and more intelligently worked the
demand for mules increases.
The mule has advantages over the
horse which have come to be recog-
nized by men who work the two side
by side. In the first place he pays
the breeder better because he can be
put on the market a year or two SOON
er. He is not as expensive to raise
as the horse, because he is in condition
to do good work long before the horse
can be broken TO harness. At years
old the mule can be put i'm the field
and kept there until old age overtalxes
him.
The mule is also healthier than the
horse. He is rarely subject to the
horse diseases. nor is he likely TO have
blemishes which destroy the value OF
many a colt. With a mule. IL there
are any blemishes, they do not impair
his value, because he is purchased for
work and not for beauty. He is not
40 nervous or high strung as the
horse. He has a saner instinct OF
preservation, will stand greater
hardships. has more vitality. and when
properly instructed. is steadier and
] more reliable.
When II comes 10 breeding. the two
| or more years saved I'm handling means
big profit. The mule, too. is always
| ealable. The mule market is never
/ glutted, in fact. the market comes ia
/ the mule rather than the mule TO the
/ market. Il matters not whether II is
\ a time Of peace or war, the demand for
mules Is always large. As a war ne.
cessity the mule IL universally recog.
| nized As a work animal the hauleT
! Of cart and dray. he will stand more
1 wear and cost less 10 keep. Down
/ South one part Of tho ration Of a mule
Ia inolasses. and another cotton seed
meal.