The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-25
S2,OO0,OOO YEARLY
 SPENT ON MULES Birmingham Branching Out in an Important Industry SUPPLIES WHOLE STATE Horses and Mules Are Also Being Shipped From Birmingham to All
 Other Large Cities of the
 South.
SUPPLIES WHOLE STATE
BY WALTER HARPER.

Go wrapped up Is she ill her great min eraL resources, Birmingham is giving but little consideration to one of her infant industries that promises to be one of the most important in the next few years,
 This small but growing industry already amounts 10 almost two million dollars per year and means far more to the in dustrial development of the state of Ala bana than Is expressed in dollars and cents.
 l refer to the mule and horse trade.
 Atlanta claims to be and is conceded by many to be the second largest mule mar ket in the United States, but Birmins ham promises to be a formidable rival in the next few years The trade in Bir- mingham has more than doubled in the last four years and the present business may be again doubled in the next four years, so rapid is the increase in busi- ness and the growing demand for better stock by all classes of consumers.
 There are something like 5000 5000 head of horses and mules handled in Bir- mingham annually at an average price of something more than 500 head.
 Prices Are increasing.
 There has been a gradual and rapid in- crease in the price of mules during the past few years and according to one of the most prominent local dealers the price will continue to increase for two or three more years. This increase is attributed to the great scarcity of good stock, caused by heavy exports for foreign war nd fnt. farm stock in Cuba and other countries Before the SpanishAmerican war the sugar plantations of Cuba were cultivated with oxen. These have to d very great extent, been supplanted with American mules since the war and with the advent of improved and more progressive methods. some Of the large plantations in Cuba require 4O0 and 300 head of mules.
 The demand Is far gerater than the supply and it is figured that the price of good mules will necessarily advance until the production is increased which is necessarily slow.
 In Alabama. as well in all other southern agricultural sections. there is a growing demand for a better grade of stock The farmers are tlling their farms more thoroughly, are employing improved machinery which demands heavier motive power and these conditions of advanced farming call for the best grades of stock.
 Bought Cheap Stock.
 According to the dealers in Birmingham four years ago the farmers looked for the cheapest stock they could find and the trade was very unsatisfactory. The average price that farmers were willing to pay at that time was $l25 to $135. About this time the strong export trade had set in and the consequence is that the farmers of the south got only the scrub mules and horses.
 All that has changed in the last two or three years. It is said now that there is less scrub stock in this section of Ala bama than in any other section of the south.
 Birmingham enjoys the distinction among good horsemen as having as fine driving and draft horses and mules as any city in the south.
 It is a matter of pride among horse