MULE AS A WORK ANIMAL, The. The use of mules for doing the work of the world is almost as old as history. The his torical records that have come down to us re counting the exploits and industrial achieve ments of the more civilized peoples of the earth have all mentioned the mule. The impression which one gathers from reading the opinions of the earlier peoples is that the mule was highly regarded, particularly as a burden bearer.
So far as the writer has been able to deter mine, there are no unfavorable reports of the work of mules. On the other hand the unani mous opinion of those who have had most to do with the utilization of mules is that they are in many respects the most efficient and satisfactory work animals employed by mankind.
In more modern history the evidence of the value of mules is still more thoroughly recog nized. The number of mules in the United States has increased rapidly. One hundred years ago the mule was not generally used as a draft animal except in a few Southern States. At the present time the mule is used to a greater or less extent in every State of the Union. He is particularly valued in the South, in the Middle West and the West. In these great agricultural regions the mule has won a place in competition with horses and he will not be replaced unless we should ultimately come to a type of farm practice which will make it possible to employ mechanical motors exclusively for agricultural production.
The favorable opinion of mules as work ani mals is not due to any accident nor indeed to any peculiar psychology of those who have used the mule largely in their industrial occu pations. There are certain outstanding quali ties characteristic of the mule which single him out from among other types of draft animals and have made him what he is to-day—un doubtedly one of the most popular and econom ical of draft animals.
The mule is recognized as possessing unusual endurance, exceptional courage, sure-footed ness, steadiness and is exceptionally free from excitability and harmful nervousness. The mule is also given credit for the possession of an unusual amount of instinctive wisdom which protects him against many of the dangers and accidents to which horses are subject.
No draft animal so far developed has the endurance of the mule under all kinds of hard working conditions. In the excessive hot cli mate of the tropics mules will work steadily day after day without injury to themselves and will accomplish an astonishingly large amount of productive labor. Under similar conditions horses are far less efficient and indeed it is plain that under many such conditions horses are entirely unable to accomplish the work. On the arid plains and in the desert regions of the world the endurance of the mule has been recognized and particularly where the trails are rocky the mule outlasts any other draft animal.
A part of the endurance of the mule is due to his temperament, a part to his sound, thor oughly good feet and a part to his instinctive food habits. The mule is not so well adapted to the sandy stretches of the arid regions be cause his small, somewhat pointed foot causes him to sink more deeply Into the sand than flat-footed horses. The mule is sure-footed. Over the dangerous trails of the mountains the mule rarely meets with an accident. He is wise in selecting his foothold and will carry the rider or pack safely along precipitous trails where under similar conditions horses would be unsatisfactory.
On the farms, particularly of the Middle West and the South, the mule is more eco nomical. The statement is frequently made that the mule requires less food for the per formance of a given amount of work than the horse. This is the general opinion among farmers experienced in the use of mules. In vestigations on this point are not numerous and are not thoroughly convincing, but in the main the conclusion that mules will consume less food than horses is probably true. It is certainly true that mules will thrive on a coarser character of fodder. They will thrive under conditions which would be impossible for horses.