The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-10-12
Census Figures Show the
Mule Gains in The South
From the Southern Cultivator.

Preliminary census figures, subject to cor
rection, are being released by the U. S. CEN
sus bureau Data from tWenty-eight counties
in Tennessee and from scattered counties in
Kentucky, North Carolina, Florida and
Georgia have been received. These figures
show a trend in these states to decrease
horses and increase mules. Horses in the
! twenty-eight counties in Tennessee total
| 75, 490-a loss Of 5,001 since 1910. Mules
number 87,672, a gain of 21,124 over 1910
figures, making net gain of 1923 in both
horses and mules. The scattered counties in
other states referred to show substantially
| the same condition in an increase of mules,
| but decrease in horses.
The figures do not present direct com
| parison, for the 1920 census was taken in
January and the go census in April, when
a good many foals existed and were enum-
Grated. They do disclose, however, a de-
crease in horses owned in the south, which
means DECREASE in breeding in that part of
| the United States, and they furnish eloquent
! testimony of the high regard southern farm
ers have for mules.
There is good reason for this. The mule
| is the only fool proof motive power unit.
They can go out singly, or in pairs, tours or
skies, and after a full days work return
home all right, whether the driver does or
not, in these days of irresponsible labor that
| is big factor. Then, too, driver cannot
overhead mule. When he gets too warm
| he slows up to gait befitting the weather,
and not even the fluent vocabulary of an ex-
cavalryman will persuade him to greater
speed. Brought in at night, it is sufficient to
pull off the harness and turn this long-eared
| believer in safety first" into big dusty
! barn lot with food and water. He will roll
until he is groomed to his own satisfaction,
and will not drink nor eat till cooled down
enough to make it safe to do So No matter
how much grain is accessible, he will stop
eating when he has enough.
The south is dependent upon the central
west for its work stock. Not one-eghth of
the horses and mules annually needed in the
| southeastern states are raised there and
the decrease in horses indicates that the
south prefers to produce cotton and purchase
work animals, instead of raising them So
every fall and winter there is a tremendous
demand for good mules, and the corn belt
farmer sells off his surplus stock which he
has been working all summer at decided
profit over the price he paid for them in
the spring. This property of continual sale
ability is big consideration to the farmer
who produces mules. He finds market for
them as weanlings to mule assemblers who
make it a practice to buy up and grow out
mules The farmer thus realizes quick money
on his investment, and avoids the care of
! the young stock until maturity.
! Prospects now are for a Greater demand
and higher prices for good mules than has
! ever been known. Fortunate is the corn belt
farmer who has pair or two kept to handle
the peak load power requirements of sum-
mer months. He will be able to sell them
| this fall at a substantial advance
Long live the mule Che does it anyway
| the only fool proof tractor-the quick mon
ey for the farm producer-the hardy expo
nent of safety first!