The Era-leader., 1917-02-08
RAISING MULES ON
LOUISIANA farms

Hortar$ ae That 6f roHfe o~fr
Cotton Farmers spend One sats I
In Seven Fvr Muies' ID
II ,s being urged by most as'4oul' 1
aural workers that the earmeFs naaAo
fheir living as home ss tas as poeet
ble, regardless Of the high pfNe OF
cotton, sugar or rieA II II ID import
Ant that the farmer produce bis own
vegetables poultry. milk and meat II
ia equally importaat that 10 proouos
his own work stock 1t is estimated
that Louisiana farmers ere speno'ns
one bale Of cotton out Of every seven
sor farm mules. Sugar mules are OF
khe highest class on che market anu
are more expensive than those useo
on the cotton plantations
| It Is evident that there IS an In
creased interest in Louisiana IN fa'e'
inv mules for the farm. Al almost
every parish or district fa'r tn>s La,
!, there were shown one o. more gooa
hrnod mares with muae colts me
! mares are q part of the farm Woik
/ stock, and DO their part toward 'ne
cultivation Of the land with sucn Ia.
: yors shown them as 90 necessary aol
the successful handing Of mares
> used TOR breeding purposes. On the
y ayerase, these mares when purchaser
!. cost less than good mules, and whlie
they probably do a little less WORK
a during the year, they are generalAy
conceded to be we'll worth the prlce
'- paid for them as work stock. What.
ever they do toward the production ol
Z. mules for future use On the farm may
be REGARDED as clear profit. Anotnel
interesting fact is that large percen-
tage of these mares were bred Dy
.their owners or on nearby farms from
native mares and sired by good stal-
lions.
At q number Of the fairs the ser
vice stations used on the farms by IN
diviauals or for community breedlns
O. were shown with their progeny ano
let their dams. Most Of them were reg
h. istered or high grade Percheror
ed horses, with an occasional belgian
O. Shire or Standred bred.
no A study of the animals exhibited
and those to be seen on the farm'
of the state indicates that the farm
,rt ers are rapidly coming to the conclu
on sion that the home production o
as, mules is both practical and profitable
re- on Louisiana farms. 1t also seem
Ir- clear that they have reached the con
clusion that the understood, small ns
er tive mare is Improbable as q pre-
2. ducer Of farm mules, and that she ca
st. he hest used for breeding a large
,+b horse stock by means OF Improve
-. draft stations, and the best fillies
80 this progeny selected for mule breet
W. inc, There is nothing new IN h'
'1n idea as It follows the common cours
atn adopted In all other states where u
ur- raising of mules has been made su
~ cess.
,ast The movement has now receive
ch, sufficient impetus to warrant the TO
he. nation ia many communities OF c
ner operative breeding associations, whel
, each farmer will keep one or mo-
brood mares and the association W
maintain at least one good draft sts
0'0' lion and a high-class Jack. Both g
oy essential to the greatest success b
cause the average Louisiana farm
ap- prefers mules for all his regular far
work and is not inclined to bre
A. horses to any greater extent than
necessary to give him a supply
60 mares Of suitable size and contoru
ton to produce the mules he rteuir'
The average Louisiana mare carr1
more or less improved blood, der1v
from thoroughbred horses or otf
light harness and saddle stoc& q
IT their colts, even when sired by hea
"' draft stations, show a tendency
have fine bones clean limbs end 20
d 9sth aI action. These qualities are tn
I'd fol- mitted to their mule colts, which
ed e,sito to more active and speedy than Wu
CHEST from draft bred dams, and while Il
are lighter in weight, they are genel
Z. ly preferred by all of the farmers
.ourt this state except the cane plante
ween who usually show preference
ales, very heavy mules.
7 to The present price of cotton, su,
and rice enables the farmer to
COM out more money for work stock 4
q, as he could in former years with
Lum- prices but on account Of the h
,oga- price Of all live stock he really 6
the no moro for given portion Of
crop than he did formerly. 1t wo
g. IS be wisdom for all who have to !
lA' chase work stock to include
$500 good brood mares in each purch'
lsi'' nut them in the hands Of careful d
iii. ers on the farm, breed them to 6
lacks at the first opportunity and n