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DR. L. W. KNIGHT. 
 
The Breeding and Rearing 
 Jacks, Jennets and Mules. 
 
 BY 
 
 L. W. KNIGHT, M.D. 
 
 NASHViiiLE, Tenn.: 
 
 The Cumberland Press, 
 
 1902. 
 
Copyright in name of J. M. Knight, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 
 1902. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Realizing the constantly growing demand for mules 
 in the United States, as well as other countries, I have 
 been induced to write a book in my old and declining 
 years on the subject of breeding and rearing jacks 
 and jennets as well as mules. I know of no literature 
 on the subject of breeding jacks and jennets, and 
 very little on the mule, which I regard as the best 
 animal for the Southern and tropical climates. I have 
 written this book without notes, and entirely from 
 memory, for the benefit of the young stock farmers, 
 who are, or will be hereafter engaged in this line of; 
 business. I am aware there are many imperfections; 
 in the book, which I trust a generous public willj 
 excuse under the circumstances. The Author, 
 
 St3fcl 
 
 y S0497 
 
 1 
 
^^^C^J 
 
 Breeding and Rearing of Jacks, 
 Jennets and Mutes* 
 
 SECTION FIRST. 
 
 God in his infinite wisdom and goodness has given 
 unto us three great kingdoms, viz. : the Animal, Vege- 
 table and Mineral. He has given us dominion over 
 them and if we expect to make them profitable we 
 have to study them and cultivate them to make them 
 valuable so that we may get our revenue from them. 
 Having had long experience in the developing of the 
 animal kingdom, especially the jack and jennet stock 
 and valuable mule, I thought perhaps I could make 
 some suggestions and give my experience for over 
 three-fourths of a century in handling this stock. 
 
 Having been favorably impressed, especially since 
 the termination of the Spanish-American war, with 
 the great importance of opening up a trade with the 
 many tropical islands, viz. : Cuba, Porto Rico, Philip- 
 pine and Caroline and Hawaii Islands, the question 
 presents itself to my mind, How are those fertile coun- 
 tries to be supplied with suitable stock to cultivate 
 them? They are coming under the jurisdiction of the 
 government of the United States. May we not in- 
 clude Africa, which in a few years may be open as a 
 market for our mules? Where can they get their 
 supply from? Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas, 
 and, perhaps, a few other states. Now, to supply this 
 great demand we have to make the preliminary ar- 
 
6 BREEDING AND REARING OP 
 
 rangements, hence we will have to increase our jack 
 and jennet stock. We cannot have mules without 
 jacks, neither can we have jacks without jennets. So, 
 they are the basis or foundation for mules. The 
 United States has scarcely enough mules to supply her 
 own demands. The English government has within 
 recent date, shipped from New Orleans and other 
 places thousands of mules to Africa for army pur- 
 poses, and is still shipping them. 
 
 The demand is growing every year in the United 
 States for mules, as the railroads are being developed 
 in all parts of our country, opening the great forests 
 and the lumber trade as well as the various minerals, 
 as gold, silver, iron, lead, coal and phosphate; and 
 oil is being found in various parts of our country. 
 As the great internal resources are developed so will 
 the demand for stock be increased. It may be stated 
 as a fixed fact that as long as sugar, cotton and rice 
 will grow in the South, there will be a demand for 
 mules. No animal can supersede the mule for the 
 tropical climate. 
 
 SECTION SECOND. 
 
 Having been appointed by the Executive Committee 
 of the "Jack Stock Stud Book of America," I have 
 given a brief history of the early breeders of jacks 
 and jennets in the United States as far as could be 
 ascertained, and have also given a history of all the 
 late importations as far as could be learned, from one 
 of the largest importers, who has made eight trips to 
 Europe and has had more experience than any im- 
 porter of jacks and jennets in America. I allude to 
 Mr. Wm. H. Goodpasture, who was also Secretary 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 7 
 
 of the ''American Jack Stock Stud Book Associa- 
 tion." He and his lamented father, Judge Good- 
 pasture, together made more and larger importations 
 than any other parties with whom I am acquainted. 
 Their eight importations have been worth millions 
 of dollars to the United States. Mr. Wm. H. Good- 
 pasture has written a very accurate description of 
 the different breeds of jacks that are used in Spain, 
 Italy and France, and the different islands of the 
 Mediterranean Sea, particularly Malta and Majorca. 
 His description of each species is so full and accurate, 
 that it would be superfluous for me to repeat, or try 
 to improve on them. I have had through the courtesy 
 of both the original secretary, Mr. Wm. H. Good- 
 pasture, and the present secretary, Mr. J. L. Jones, 
 Jr., of Columbia, Tenn., the privilege of using such 
 articles in the "American Jack Stock Stud Book" as 
 would be of special interest in furthering the cause 
 and development of the jack breeders of the United 
 States. We find but Httle literature on the subject of 
 breeding and rearing jacks and jennets in our country. 
 Hence, we think some one who has had varied experi- 
 ence in breeding and rearing this stock in the United 
 States should give additional information. 
 
 I was born in Guilford County, North Carolina, in 
 1816, and when about four years of age I remember 
 that my father, the late Captain James Knight, owned a 
 Diomeed stallion and a jack. He placed me on the 
 jack's back and led him into a wheat field to graze 
 him. This was about the year 1820. Early in the 
 twenties my father moved to Middle Tennessee and 
 settled in the Southern part of Rutherford County, 
 where I was reared. 
 
8 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 He was born in Sussex County, Virginia, about 
 the year 1793. My grandfather, Captain Doak, was 
 an officer in the Revolutionary War. When the war 
 ended the government of the United States did not 
 have money to pay the officers for their services and 
 many were paid in scrip. My grandfather and a cousin 
 of his, named Doak Hanna, brought their scrips to 
 Rutherford County, in Middle Tennessee, and each 
 one of them entered a thousand acres of land in the 
 beautiful valley lying between Marshall's and Lee's 
 knobs. The Murfreesboro and Shelbyville pike runs 
 through this valley eight miles south of Murfreesboro. 
 My mother was a daughter of Captain James Doak, and 
 inherited a part of the one thousand acre tract of land. 
 
 I remember the first sucking mule I ever saw was 
 foaled on my father's farm and he sold it at weaning 
 and it brought a better price than horse colts did at 
 the same age. This made a lasting impression on my 
 mind, and I have often observed since that those who 
 would buy young mules at weaning or at an early 
 age and grow them properly and have a good lot to 
 sell every year were generally prosperous stock farm- 
 ers and would, from time to time, be able to buy their 
 neighbor's land and perhaps sow it down in grass 
 and make the fences mule proof; and in the course of 
 a short time the growth of their mules and enhance- 
 ment in value would make the owner a handsome 
 capital. 
 
 Some time in the thirties I remember my father 
 visited General Andrew Jackson (Old Hickory) who 
 was noted for his love of fine horses and had won a 
 wagon load of negroes from ex-Governor Cannon at 
 Clover Bottom race track. The General, in speaking 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUI.ES 9 
 
 to my father in regard to raising mules, said to him, 
 the finer the mare the finer the mule. The same will 
 also apply to the jack. 
 
 Some time in the thirties my father went to Bruns- 
 wick County, Virginia, and purchased a very fine black 
 jack with white nose and belly. He was said to have 
 been the third descendant of the Royal Gift to Gen. 
 George Washington after the Revolutionary War. I 
 have made reference to the Royal Gift in my essay on 
 ''Reminiscences," written in the American Jack Stock 
 Stud Book, giving a history of the early breeders of 
 jacks and jennets as well as all of the importations 
 made in the United States except the last, which was 
 made by my son, James M. Knight (who lives at 
 Murfreesboro, Tenn., and made the last importation 
 in 1893). I have requested him and my son, William 
 E. Knight, who resides at Nashville, Tenn., and who 
 has made three trips to Europe to purchase jacks and 
 jennets, to write a history of their travels and pur- 
 chases for this book. They are both engaged in 
 handling that stock at their respective homes, Mur- 
 freesboro and Nashville. Their sale stables are easy 
 of access at their places of abode. They both made 
 a trip to Europe with Mr. Roth, who was a native 
 of Hungary, and who could speak a number of lan- 
 guages. When he was with either of them no inter- 
 preter was needed. I heard J. M. Knight say he 
 never knew Mr. Roth to meet a man on land or sea 
 with whom he could not converse. I think he told 
 me he had crossed the Atlantic Ocean about thirty- 
 five times and had traveled over various parts of 
 Europe. It has been the custom of most of the Ameri- 
 cans that have gone to Spain, France or Italy to pur- 
 
lO BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 chase jacks and jennets to get an interpreter who 
 could speak Spanish, French or Italian, and they also 
 had to have a man that was acquainted with the coun- 
 try where the stock could be found ; besides, it was 
 necessary to procure a vehicle and team to hunt up 
 this stock. Hence, you see what an amount of money 
 it requires for a stock dealer to visit those countries 
 and have so much expense attached to his finding and 
 purchasing stock, paying hotel bills and traveling. 
 After the stock has been found and purchased, per- 
 haps it is scattered over a great extent of territory, 
 and has to be concentrated and gotten to a shipping 
 point. And even then, the interpreter must be kept 
 until the stock is put on board of ship. Now, after 
 the stock is put on board of ship, they require vigilant 
 attention. Sometimes when placed in the hull, where 
 they cannot get sufficient pure air, they are liable to 
 suffer and die for the want of it ; or if they are placed 
 on upper deck, and the sea is rough and tempestuous, 
 as is the case in a severe storm, and the ship nearly 
 covered with the raging waves, the stock, in that case, 
 is in great danger of being washed overboard; but 
 when the sea is calm, the deck passage is more favor- 
 able. 
 
 About the year of 1853 or 1854 I owned a very 
 superior jack called Monarch. He was a gray, about 
 fifteen hands high, horse measure ; was sired by my 
 jennet jack Maringo Mammoth. His dam was by 
 Hon. Henry Clay's imported Don Callous, of Ken- 
 tucky. He proved to be a superior breeder for both 
 mares and jennets. I was able to stand him at $10 
 for mares and $20 for jennets. He was considered 
 then the best and most valuable jack in Rutherford 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUI.ES 11 
 
 County, Tennessee. I was doing- a large business with 
 "him when the Civil War commenced in 1861, and con- 
 tinued to do business with him until the fall of 1862, 
 when the Federal and Confederate armies were fight- 
 ing at Richmond and Perryville, Ky. I had a public 
 stock sale and sold some jacks, horses, mule colts, hogs 
 and other stock, believing that either army was liable 
 to take my stock if they needed them. I lived in the 
 southern part of Rutherford County, Middle Ten- 
 nessee, where both armies concentrated at Murfrees- 
 boro and where was fought one of the heavy battles 
 of the war (Stone's River or the battle of Murfrees- 
 boro). This jack. Monarch, was sold at my sale 
 at $900. I was offered by Esq. Lane, of Walker 
 County, Georgia, $1,000 in gold for this jack a few 
 ■days before he was two years old. I had bought a 
 farm and had commenced preparing for stock farming ; 
 was satisfied that I could make a good jack pay me 
 better to keep him and buy up his mule colts at wean- 
 ing or yearlings. I bought good bone fillies and bred 
 them to my jack. When they got with foal they would 
 grow and spread and enhance in value when I could 
 sell them for good profits or swap them for good 
 young mules and sell the mules. So you perceive I 
 was making the jack's services pay me as well as en- 
 hancing the value of my young brood mares by getting 
 them with foal, and by buying the young mules he 
 would produce in the neighborhood. All of which 
 were fruitful sources of revenue. Besides I was im- 
 proving my soil and enhancing the value of my farm. 
 I have long since learned that it is the growth and 
 enhancement of a man's property that makes him his 
 capital. How rarely we see a man who works for 
 
12 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 Standing wages and doing hard, muscular labor that 
 ever makes more than a scant living. But for a man 
 to prosper, he must generally have something growing,, 
 something enhancing in value, or increasing in num- 
 bers, when he is asleep or resting. His muscle alone 
 will not do to depend on. It will fail him in a few 
 years. If he does not prepare something for his old 
 and declining years he is apt to be brought to want 
 or thrown on the cold charities of the world. 
 
 I do not know of a better plan for a young man. 
 who expects to make stock farming his occupation 
 than to get him a farm with good running water that 
 lasts the year round. Then put his land in such 
 grasses that suit his soil. He should study his soil 
 and be sure that his grasses are well adapted to the 
 land he is using it on. For instance : Blue grass and 
 clover require a great deal of lime in the soil for them 
 to flourish. They will not do well in sandy land, but 
 orchard grass and herd's grass will grow on sandy 
 soil. Herd's grass does very well on low or damp soil. 
 A man to stock farm properly should be a good judge 
 of land as well as a good judge of stock. If he is not, 
 he should advise with some one who has had experi- 
 ence on the subject. Most men of experience will 
 take pleasure in advising with a young man wanting 
 information. The soil is a compound like a man's 
 blood, has a variety of ingredients and can be changed 
 or modified as circumstances may require, and it be- 
 hooves the farmer to study the nature both of his 
 stock and soil. It should be remembered that a stock 
 farmer has an opportunity of improving his lands 
 while he is growing his stock; what they eat is put 
 back on the soil. So, it seems that God intended that 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES I3 
 
 the animal kingdom and the vegetable kingdom should 
 go together. 
 
 SECTION THIRD. 
 
 Some years before the Civil War I visited the blue 
 grass regions of Kentucky and found the farmers had 
 nearly all of their lands down in grass. They kept, 
 perhaps, two fields — one for corn and another for 
 wheat — and a garden; the balance all in blue grass. 
 I thought they, as a people, had more time for social 
 enjoyment than any farmers I had ever seen. When 
 we would call at a man's house to look at stock, after 
 showing his own he would propose taking us to see 
 his neighbors'. We found the Kentuckians very hos- 
 pitable and generous. They did not appear to be en- 
 vious or jealous of each other like some people en- 
 gaged in the same business. If they had animals that 
 had blemishes that were not perceptible they would 
 point them out to you. A stock breeder cannot afford 
 to sell blemished stock without making it known ; he 
 will be more damaged by it than the purchaser. 
 
 Our lands during the days of slavery had been cul- 
 tivated in cotton, until the soil was very much ex- 
 hausted, and was needing a change to small grain 
 and grass, with more and better stock, in order to re- 
 suscitate them and make them more remunerative. 
 
 During one of my visits to Kentucky with my 
 brother, the late Gen. J. M. Knight, for the purpose 
 of attending the fairs and looking at the different kinds 
 of stock, with a view of making purchases for the 
 benefit of our own section of country, Middle Ten- 
 nessee (Murfreesboro was our home at that time), 
 after visiting the best blue grass regions of Ken- 
 tucky, and seeing the most improved stock of that 
 
14 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 state, we were more impressed with the importance 
 of changing our mode of farming in our own state, 
 especially in Middle Tennessee. So after consulting 
 quite a number of the most enterprising farmers, we 
 agreed that the best plan to bring about a change in 
 our mode of farming would be to get up an agri- 
 cultural fair in our own county (Rutherford). The 
 day was appointed to have a mass meeting and or- 
 ganize for the purpose of establishing a permanent 
 county fair. 
 
 The citizens of my old county did me the honor of 
 electing me president by acclamation. All the other 
 officers were elected. The secretary, Capt. Darragh, 
 who was originally from Kentucky, and I were ap- 
 pointed by the Board of Directors to visit the north- 
 ern part of Tennessee and Kentucky and select the 
 most approved, modern models for an amphitheater 
 and pagoda. In our travels we procured a gentleman 
 who had built five or six amphitheaters in his own state 
 (Kentucky), who came over and built ours, which is 
 now standing on the IMurfreesboro and Shelbyville 
 turnpike about one and one-half miles from the public 
 square of Murfreesboro, and one hundred and fifty 
 yards from the station on the Nashville and Chatta- 
 nooga Railroad. We have had a number of successful 
 fairs at this place, and believe it has been the means 
 of encouraging the farmers of our county and the 
 adjoining ones to improve their stock of different 
 kinds, as well as improving their lands. Thus the 
 great object of our fairs is to improve our domestic 
 animals, as well as the products of the field and 
 garden ; also the handiwork of the ladies in the fine 
 arts and their culinary department, as well as the 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 15 
 
 improvement in agricultural implements, etc. As the 
 citizens of my county did me the honor of placing me 
 at the head of the executive department of the Agri- 
 cultural Association, I felt I was under obligations to 
 them to exert myself to the utmost of my ability in 
 doing all I could to introduce such stock as would 
 promote the best interests of the association. I made 
 it a point to visit Kentucky and attend the most popu- 
 lar fairs of that state and make myself familiar with 
 their best modes of conducting their fairs. I also 
 visited some of the largest annual stock sales, such 
 as R. A. Alexander's, Suddith's, Grooms', and Van- 
 meter's. I also examined the renowned shorthorn 
 herd of Mr. Abram Reneck. I succeeded in purchas- 
 ing some fine stock that was quite an accession to my 
 county. More than one generation has passed since 
 this stock was introduced, but its effects can be seen 
 now. 
 
 These agricultural fairs when properly conducted 
 are calculated to improve the country in many re- 
 spects. We have thought that there was too much 
 partiality shown the speed rings. Instead of giving 
 them such large premiums we should give them less, 
 and increase the premiums to those who are engaged 
 in raising the best specimens of corn, wheat, oats, rye, 
 barley, cotton and such products of the farm as are 
 of the greatest interest to the general farmer. We are 
 in favor of giving liberal premiums to the animal king- 
 dom, such as horses, mules, jacks and jennets, swine, 
 sheep, cattle and fowls. The ladies' department in 
 the floral hall should, too, receive proper encourage- 
 ment. Those who generally take the premiums in the 
 speed rings are not usually farmers, but make a 
 
l6 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 Specialty of training for speed alone, and should go to 
 organized race courses. 
 
 SECTION FOURTH. 
 
 The different breeds of jacks have been given by my* 
 friend, W. H. Goodpasture, with a good deal of care. 
 He is the most competent gentleman with whom I am 
 acquainted to perform that task, having seen and 
 handled nearly all classes of that stock. 
 
 Now it will be my purpose to give instruction as 
 to the proper care of jacks and jennets while they 
 are engaged in business. I am satisfied that the ma- 
 jority of grooms allow their jacks and stallions to 
 do too much business in a day. My rule is to limit 
 them to two services a day, that is, in twenty-four 
 hours, and the time should be properly divided, one 
 service in the morning and the other, in the evening. 
 I never allow my stock to do business on the Sabbath 
 day. 
 
 A great deal of an animal's service is wasted by 
 allowing a jack or stallion to serve a mare or jennet 
 when not in proper season or heat ; and when they are 
 served they should not be allowed to remain about 
 the stable, but carried away where they will not see 
 or hear a jack bray. I would prefer breeding to an 
 animal that was limited in his service. I think if one 
 of those peddling stud horse men that travels on a 
 circuit and allows his horse or jack to serve a number 
 of times in a day, going from one stand to another, 
 should succeed in foaling, the progeny will be so weak 
 and feeble that they will have to be held up to let 
 them suck. I do not think colts produced under such 
 circumstances ever make strong, serviceable animals. 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 1 7 
 
 I have observed where boars or rams that have been 
 allowed to run at large, and are overworked that a 
 boar will produce a number of small and runty pigs, 
 and rams will produce the same kind of lambs. Many 
 of them will die where they are lambed. Hence, I 
 think male animals should be properly limited in their 
 services. 
 
 I remember a conversation with Major Bacon, of 
 South Carolina, while attending state fairs at Macon, 
 Ga., in 1873, and at Atlanta in 1874, at which places 
 he won the two mile races with the celebrated race 
 horse Granger, which was also known as Wade Hamp- 
 ton. (I will state I also took premiums with my jacks 
 and jennets, Berkshire hogs and Devon bull at Macon, 
 Ga., in 1873 ; and at Atlanta in 1874 with my jacks and 
 jennets, Berkshire hogs and Durham bull.) Major 
 Bacon was a very successful sportsman. He remarked 
 to me that the reason why the famous race horses did 
 not produce more racers like themselves was that they 
 were allowed to serve too many mares during the 
 season, and stated he did not want his retired horses 
 he had to farm out to serve more than twenty-five 
 mares in one season to produce race horses. Some 
 horses are allowed to go to over one hundred mares 
 in one season. I think the same rule or principle will 
 apply to all male animals. 
 
 I am writing this book in my eighty-sixth year of 
 age, and for the benefit of the young and inexperi- 
 enced stock farmers and breeders, and I am sure they 
 will excuse my plain, practical, unpretending style. 
 My object is to give my experience and observation. 
 I am aware that I am making many digressions from 
 my main subject, but my apology is to illustrate some 
 
l8 BREEDING AND REARING OP 
 
 practical truth that I hope may be of interest to my 
 young readers. 
 
 I remember a very noted trotting stallion that stood 
 at Nashville, Tenn., at $ioo per mare. He did a very 
 large business and I think he served the best class of 
 trotting mares, and if he ever produced over a very 
 few extra winners I never knew them. Blackwood 
 ranked among the first-class trotting stallions of his 
 day. I think he was over-taxed with business. 
 
 I think it best to have a stallion to tease for a jack 
 that is used for mares. Some mares are afraid of 
 jacks and will not show sign of being in heat. Hence 
 it is best to have a stallion as a teaser. Now from 
 experience and observation I think that after a mare 
 has been bred she ought not to be taken back until 
 the tenth day to try her. Should she appear to be 
 ill do not have her teased much, but after she has 
 refused once, she may be coaxed more the second or 
 third time. While I am writing more for the interest 
 of the breeders of jacks and jennets, I wish to state 
 just here that I have found that plowing mares in 
 rocky or rooty ground while breeding is injurious. 
 Would advise, that if the mares are to be plowed, let 
 them be used in old land, clear of roots and rocks, 
 and use mules or geldings in their stead until you 
 have them safely in foal. Mares when breeding and 
 having to be worked in rough, rooty or rocky ground, 
 cast off a great deal when jerked by the hitching of 
 the plow, etc., and have known men fail to get colts 
 under such circumstances. Neither should they be 
 allowed to run on white or red clover in bloom or 
 rye at this time. Another important point I wish to 
 call the attention to is, after a mare or jennet foals, 
 
JACKS, JENNBTS AND MULKS IQ 
 
 the mares are apt to come in heat about the seventh 
 or eighth day ; should you fail to breed them then, and 
 they go out of heat, they sometimes do not come in 
 while nursing or suckling their colt. Jennets usually 
 come in heat later, about the twelfth or fourteenth 
 day, and if you fail to breed them then you may not 
 have an opportunity of breeding while she is nursing 
 her colt. So you see how important it is to keep a 
 record of the breeding of your mares and jennets. 
 After the colts are weaned and the mare or jennet 
 becomes entirely dry, if they are well cared for and 
 put in a thriving condition they are apt to come in 
 heat in a few days. Hence how important it is to 
 breed at the right time and not lose several months of 
 the proper breeding season. 
 
 You will remember that a mare goes eleven months, 
 and if she is a very old mare and has had a number 
 of colts, will often go over her regular time. I have 
 known a jennet to exceed their twelve months, espe- 
 cially if it is advanced in age and has brought a num- 
 ber of colts. I want to call the attention of owners 
 of jennets to the great importance of keeping a close 
 watch over them at the time they are due to foal. 
 They should be kept away from other stock, and if 
 the weather is unfavorable, they ought to be placed in 
 a foaling stable of good size, say from twelve by 
 fifteen feet, and sawdust or short straw for the jennet 
 to lie on. If the straw should be long the colt may 
 get tangled in it. 
 
 When the time is due for the jennet to foal she 
 should be noticed, and if at night and she is found 
 restless and showing signs of labor, the groom should 
 go to the stable with a lantern and stay with the jennet 
 
20 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 until her labor is over and the colt is able to get up 
 and suck. Then the groom may retire. Sometimes 
 jennets have inflamed udders and are sore and tender. 
 When that is the case they will not allow the colt to 
 suck, but kick and bite the colt, and it will starve if 
 not looked after properly. When this is the case the 
 jennet will have to be milked carefully and the udder 
 bathed in warm salt water to keep the bag from rising. 
 I have known jennets to bite off the tails of their colts. 
 I think when the jennet has an undue amount of 
 milk in her bag, and it threatens to rise, she should 
 be milked some before she foals. Some jennets give 
 great quantities of milk. It is a good plan not to 
 give much stimulating food before she is due to foal, 
 and not have her too fat. When the colt is born, it 
 sometimes has the membrane over its head and nos- 
 trils, and if it is not torn and removed, it will smother 
 the colt. How important it is then that a competent 
 groom should be present and remove the trouble. 
 Then again there may be a malformation or a wrong 
 presentation of the colt; the feet may be presented 
 instead of the head. In this instance the feet must 
 be reduced, that is pushed back, and the head brought 
 forward. If you have a fine and valuable jennet, and 
 you have such complications, would advise you to have 
 a veterinary surgeon called in. It is now and then 
 that the navel cord is tough and does not give way 
 or break. If it is pulsating after the colt is born, it 
 should be tied with a silk or flax thread, and then 
 cut three or four inches from the navel. Jack colts are 
 liable to have trouble with the navel, same as a child 
 — a disease called trismus, a species of lockjaw, which 
 I never saw in a child (and practiced medicine from 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 21 
 
 thirty-five to forty years), but have seen it in a jack 
 colt, and never knew one to recover. The colt will 
 throw its ears on his neck and appear to have little 
 or no use of himself, and will linger from three to 
 seven days and die. My opinion is the navel cord has 
 been the principal cause of the trouble; i. e., the pull- 
 ing or irritating of the nerves connected with the 
 navel. 
 
 The jack stock is very tender when young, and 
 should have vigilant attention. I know of no stock 
 that pays a man better than the first-class stock of 
 this character. I have known of some jennets that 
 have brought their owners as high as ten thousand 
 dollars worth of stock. 
 
 I trust I will be pardoned for another digression. 
 I want to relate a circumstance that occurred in Ken- 
 tucky to a gentleman by the name of Knox, who 
 lived in Boyle County, near Danville, Ky. His 
 father gave him fifty acres of land to start him in 
 business; he commenced raising corn and hogs, and 
 succeeded in that business very well, for that kind 
 of occupation. He said some years he had cholera 
 among his hogs and they would die. Then when they 
 had drouth, the corn crop failed, so then he had hogs 
 and no corn, and when the cholera killed his hogs, he 
 had corn and no hogs. He became discouraged. He 
 had a neighbor who had two jennets over medium 
 size and quality; he bred them to the best jennet jacks 
 in the country, and was lucky to get jack colts. They 
 were well nursed. The owner had two small blue 
 grass lots where he kept his jennets and colts and 
 would change them from one to the other as was neces- 
 sary. When the jack colts became able to consume 
 
22 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 all of their dams' milk, he would give them warm 
 milk from a cow, and at weaning time they were of 
 fine size, looking well. He succeeded in selling them 
 for $500, each, making $1,000 a year. Major Knox 
 saw what his old neighbor was doing, and went to 
 consult his father, and he told his son that he was 
 doing very well, and he thought it was well enough to 
 let well enough alone. But Major Knox said that 
 the old man who owned the jennets was doing nothing 
 but smoke his pipe and feed the jennets and caress 
 the colts, while he (Knox) and a negro man he had 
 hired to help him make corn and raise hogs, were 
 beaten so badly in making money that he would act 
 contrary to his father's advice. So he bought two 
 jennets that he thought a little superior to his neigh- 
 bor's. He also bred them to the best jennet jack he 
 could find. The Major was succeeding finely when 
 the Civil War came on in 1861. He had succeeded in 
 selling $10,000 worth of jack and jennet stock in one 
 year, and had increased his farm from fifty to one 
 hundred and fifty acres, and his land then worth $150 
 per acre. He made the jack and jennet stock a 
 specialty, taking premiums wherever he showed his 
 stock. Never overstocking himself, he did not have 
 more stock than he could keep in first-class order. 
 So when a customer would call to see his stock he 
 could show to the best advantage. I remember visit- 
 ing his farm on one occasion when the Major was 
 absent, but his interest was well represented by his 
 most excellent wife. She had the groom to lead the 
 stock up to the yard and had them shown to the best 
 advantage. She was familiar with the merits of the 
 stock and nothing was lost by the owner's being 
 absent. 
 
JACKS, JKNNETS AND MULES 23 
 
 I think it wisdom for a man not to keep more stock 
 than he can keep well. Stock farmers often lose by 
 having more animals than they can do justice to. He 
 may have fine, well-bred animals, but if he has neg- 
 lected them and a customer calls to see them an un- 
 favorable impression is made on his mind and he goes 
 home without making a purchase. Now you see the 
 fault is in the owner and not in the stock. 
 
 If my memory serves me correctly, I was shown 
 one of Major Knox's premium jennets that he rated 
 at $2,000. The year that he sold $10,000 worth of 
 jacks and jennets, one of the animals was a three-year- 
 old jack he called Black Mammoth that my old friend, 
 Robert Rains, of Nashville, Tenn., bought especially 
 for a jennet jack. He was a very superior animal and 
 made his mark in Middle Tennessee. Black Mam- 
 moth was a half-brother to my jennet jack, Maringo 
 Mammoth. I think Mr. Rains stood his jack at $40 
 per jennet. That was what I stood my jack at. I am 
 sure I could get competent stockmen who would testify 
 to the best of their belief that Maringo Mammoth and 
 his progeny have been worth to Tennessee $100,000. 
 It is hard to estimate the value of a No. i jennet jack 
 that is producing jacks selling from $1,000 to $3,000, 
 and his jennets $500, frequently, and upwards. One 
 of my neighbors owned a jennet not exceeding four- 
 teen hands high that brought him $10,000 worth of 
 jacks and jennets. I believe the jennet is still living. 
 She was the property of the late H. C. Ezell, of 
 Davidson County, Tennessee (Old Ann is the name). 
 
 When I first knew Mr. H. C. Ezell, which was fifteen 
 or sixteen years ago, he was engaged in farming on a 
 small scale. He farmed jacks on the shares from 
 
24 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 Mr. Robert Rains, to stand for mares. Soon after he 
 purchased the jennet just alluded to and bred her to 
 a jack that he afterwards owned, called Starlight, Sr. 
 It was from this stock that he had such wonderful suc- 
 cess. The Starlights became a very popular breed 
 of jacks, and justly so. At the deceased sale of Mr. 
 H. C. Ezell there were a large number of jacks and 
 jennets sold which brought to the estate many thou- 
 sands of dollars — all produced through the jack stock 
 with his great energy, his vigilance and his good man- 
 agement. I think any young man can meet with the 
 same success with the same amount of energy and 
 good judgment. This great success was accomplished 
 on a small farm. We think one of the secrets of his 
 success was to keep the best of his stock at home 
 where his customers could see them, and he would buy 
 up his jacks' best colts and was able to sell them for 
 a prospective value. Mr. Ezell kept a few of his best 
 jacks and jennets and would show them at the stock 
 fairs and was very successful in his exhibition. 
 
 We think it a good rule where a stock breeder is 
 able, to keep a number of good animals at his stable 
 so that his customers can be accommodated in breed- 
 ing their mares and jennets at one stand. Where there 
 is only one jack and one stallion, perhaps they may 
 be crowded and they will turn off their customers for 
 two or three days, and by that time perhaps the mare 
 or jennet may have gone out of heat. Should they be 
 nursing a colt they may not come in heat again while 
 they are nursing, and the owner of the mare or jennet 
 may lose the best of the breeding season. One groom 
 can care for several jacks and a stallion. The French 
 keep several animals at one stand, so they can always 
 supply the demands of their patrons. 
 
JACKS, JKNNKTS AND MUIvES 25 
 
 SECTION FIFTH. 
 When a jennet has nursed her colt six months, and 
 is in foal, the colt ought to be weaned. If a jennet is 
 allowed to suckle her colt unduly long and she is in 
 foal, the one she is carrying is liable to be made a 
 dwarf. I have known this to be done. Where a man 
 has a very promising jack colt that is growing fast, 
 and he has every reason to believe he will make a fine 
 show animal, and he wants to take him to the fairs, 
 it is a great inducement to have the colt suck until the 
 fairs are over, hoping to take premiums with him. I 
 want the young reader to remember when this is done 
 he is damaging the fetus the jennet is carrying. When 
 we wish to prepare a colt for the fair, and want to 
 give it every advantage, it is best not to breed the 
 jennet that year, and let the jack colt nurse until he 
 is a year old or over. When a jack colt is allowed 
 to run with a herd until he is a year old and has be- 
 come well developed he is liable to become spoiled by 
 being with jennets coming in heat, and may become 
 so much enamored with them that he will have a 
 strong partiality for his own species over mares. I 
 have heard of jack colts running with their dams until 
 they would get them with foal. This inbreeding of 
 stock will bring about malformation and impair the 
 constitution. 
 
 I cannot impress too strongly on young stock breed- 
 ers the great importance of vigilant care in rearing 
 young jacks. They must be kept where they cannot 
 see or smell jennets until they are well broken or 
 trained to serve mares properly. I allude to mule 
 jacks. I once owned a jack that was partial to mares, 
 and would not serve jennets without a mare was 
 
26 BREEDING AND REARING OP 
 
 brought before him, and let him get ready to serve 
 a mare before he would serve a jennet. I well remem- 
 ber one of our imported Catalonia three-year-old jacks 
 that I had broken to serve mares and by accident a 
 jennet that was in heat broke out of her lot and came 
 to the lot where this jack (Tennessee Giant, for that 
 was his name) was. She stood by the gate with open 
 slats where the jack could smell her all night. The 
 jack did not get to serve her, but he became so much 
 enamored with her that it was some time before we 
 could get him to serve mares again. He was sixteen 
 hands high, black and with white points. He was 
 strictly a jennet jack. We rated him at $2,000. It 
 has been our custom to first train our jennet jacks to 
 serve mares before they are broken to serve jennets. 
 Some times we want our jennet jack to serve a few 
 mares when he is not engaged with jennets. So we 
 think it best to break them to serve both mares and 
 jennets, even where you expect to make jennets almost 
 a specialty. 
 
 As long as I have been in the jack and jennet busi- 
 ness I have known but few breeders who have not 
 reared some jacks that were spoiled in their raising by 
 allowing them to associate with their own species too 
 long when colts. When this is the case the value of 
 the jack is reduced to about one-half of a mule jack. 
 So you will readily see how important it is for a 
 breeder to keep his jack colts away from jennets or 
 even mules, and let them be put with fillies about their 
 own age and continue with them until the jack colt 
 becomes too rough for the filly colt. When the jack 
 colt is associated with a filly he becomes attached to 
 her and when he becomes about twenty or twenty- 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 2^ 
 
 four months old, and is well matured for that age, 
 he might be permitted to serve a mare. In breaking 
 the jack colt you should be very careful and not allow 
 him to be kicked or bitten, or go about a mare that is 
 ill and will switch her tail and back her ears. Such 
 action on the part of the mare is calculated to in- 
 timidate a young jack, but on the other hand it is best 
 to have a low mare that the jack will not have to 
 strain himself in getting up on, and it is best 
 to have her served by another jack or stallion so 
 that she will be in good heat and make no resistance. 
 I used to break my young jacks by using an Indian 
 pony mare. 
 
 I am not writing this book for the Ladies' Home 
 Journal, nor for the general public, but for the young 
 jack and jennet breeders that want information on 
 that subject. Having known so many fine jacks 
 spoiled by carelessness or for the want of experience 
 or information is my apology for writing on the sub- 
 ject with so much plainness and precision. 
 
 I have often been consulted in regard to young 
 jacks springing in their fore legs. While the colt is 
 very young the animal matter predominates over the 
 bony or calcareous matter. Hence, they are liable to 
 spring or give way, especially when the colt com- 
 mences to graze and the grass is short. He is re- 
 quired to put too much weight on one of his fore legs 
 to enable him to reach the grass, hence there is a 
 giving way in the joints. It is usually the knee that 
 springs in, or out, but some time the ankle gives way 
 or I have known the arm joint to fail. Then again 
 where the jack colt has a very low dam, and he is 
 tall and has to stoop to suck, compelling him to put 
 
28 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 undue weight on one of his limbs, springing is likely 
 to result. 
 
 Now when the short grazing is the cause of the 
 trouble the colt can be put in the stable and fed with 
 suitable food. Green food can be cut and carried to 
 him so he will not have to expose the limbs by grazing. 
 Should the springing be caused by the dam being so 
 low, it may be obviated by the colt being put in a 
 stable and fed on cow's milk, or milk from his dam; 
 some jennets give large quantities of milk. I am 
 aware that this course of treatment would give the 
 owner much trouble and worry. But after the colt 
 is from one to two years old, he is not so liable to 
 spring. When the bony matter predominates over the 
 animal matter the trouble subsides. A fine, well-bred 
 jack colt, that promises to make an extra good animal, 
 will pay his owner to give him some attention when 
 young. From my long experience in handling this 
 stock, I do not know of any animal that is more 
 remunerative than the growth of a fine jack colt. 
 
 From what has been written as regards rearing 
 jacks and jennets, you will perceive how careful we 
 should be in the selection of our stock to commence 
 rearing a herd. In selecting a jennet jack we should 
 bear in mind that as a general rule in breeding 
 stock like begets like ; hence we should select a model 
 jack as near as possible in every respect — form, size, 
 color, constitution and a good general make-up. In 
 judging of the constitution the animal should have a 
 well developed chest, plenty of room for the heart and 
 lungs to play. Bear in mind that they are the principal 
 vital organs in all domestic animals. Length is an 
 essential point in the make-up of a jennet jack. I re- 
 
JACKS, JENNKTS AND MUI.KS 29 
 
 gard it of more importance than height, yet the height 
 has its bearing in the selling of a jack as well as a 
 mule. Mules are generally classified by their height, 
 and more importance is attached to it than I think 
 should be. A jennet jack ought to have a long, thin, 
 bony head, with long, well-tapered ears, sitting grace- 
 fully on his head; large, flat, clean limbs, big foot, 
 deeply cupped. As to color, it should be a good black 
 with distinct white points. The pelvis, or breadth of 
 hips, is very essential, either in jack or jennet. I have 
 known jennets so deficient or narrow in the pelvis that 
 they had great difficulty in giving birth to their off- 
 spring. 
 
30 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 TREATMENT OF BREEDING JACKS. 
 
 SECTION SIXTH. 
 
 A breeding jack to keep him healthy and vigorous, 
 should not be confined unduly to his stable. He should 
 run out in his lot twelve hours in twenty-four if the 
 weather is favorable. Feed him principally on shelled 
 oats and wheat bran — sheaf oats cut fine and mixed 
 wheat bran and occasionally shorts ; put enough water 
 to make the bran stick to the oats, add a little salt to 
 give the food a good relish. The bran acts as a 
 laxative. Jacks are inclined to be costive. When this 
 is the trouble give a mash and increase his green food. 
 Green wheat and barley are good grazing for jacks. 
 Never give more than two to four ears of corn at a 
 feed. Should you notice the jack inclined to rub his 
 body or bite his limbs you had better stop giving him 
 corn. Jacks are subject to sores in hot weather, espe- 
 cially if they are kept in the stable too much, and fed 
 on corn unduly. I have known them ruined by letting 
 them have chronic sores, which caused their death. 
 You will please bear this in mind, not to keep your 
 jacks too much confined, or to feed unduly on corn. 
 I do not remember ever seeing jennets have sores 
 that were allowed to run in the open air and graze. 
 I am sure that jacks would live much longer and be 
 more prolific if they were allowed more freedom in 
 the open air and allowed to follow their instincts. 
 They are great animals to wallow. I think it a good 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 3I 
 
 rule to have a suitable place In his lot dug up, and if 
 there are clods, have them mashed and let him have 
 a soft place to wallow. Where an animal is accus- 
 tomed to roll or wallow every day the place becomes 
 very hard, and if it is not dug up occasionally it may 
 bruise his withers and produce fistula. 
 
 In building a jack stable it should be large and 
 roomy so that he can exercise some in bad weather. 
 There should be no cracks in the stable that an animal 
 can get his feet through. Some log stables have cracks 
 large enough to let an animal get his foot in them and 
 break his leg. Have known such instances. In build- 
 ing a stable let the door be roomy and on the south 
 side. 
 
 The lot should be at least one acre and sowed down 
 in blue grass, herd's grass, orchard grass and timothy, 
 provided the soil is suitable for such grasses. By hav- 
 ing different kinds of grass it gives the animal a 
 variety of grazing and some one of them will afford 
 good grazing all seasons of the year. Now I would 
 suggest that you, if convenient, have a small lot of a 
 quarter of an acre and let the jack exercise in it and 
 roll, or wallow, then he can be let in his grazing lot 
 and when he has filled himself put him in his exer- 
 cising pound. By so doing you can economize in 
 saving your grass. Stock do not like to eat grass 
 where it has been walked over by other stock. It is 
 important to give plenty of good, sweet timothy or 
 herd's grass, well-cured fodder or such roughness as 
 the animal is fond of. 
 
 The stable should be kept dry. 
 
 If the jack is kept shod during the breeding season, 
 Ills shoes should be taken off to let his hoofs toughen, 
 
32 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 When the flies are very bad and the jack stamps his 
 feet he is liable to break them and make himself lame. 
 When this is the case the animals had better be shod 
 until the flies quit fretting the stock. Some times 
 you may use train oil or some remedy that will keep 
 the flies away from the stock by applying occasionally 
 while they are so annoying. A dark stable will usually 
 keep them away in the day and the stock can run out 
 at night when there are no flies to worry them. 
 
 SECTION SEVENTH. 
 
 As I am writing this book for the interest of my 
 young countrymen and wishing to give them my ex- 
 perience, I have concluded to give them a brief history 
 of one of my trips after the Civil War of i86i to 1865, 
 inclusive. Previous to the war I was extensively en- 
 gaged in breeding stock, especially the jack and jennet. 
 I had procured a first-class jennet jack, Maringo 
 Mammoth, at the cost of $2,160, and used him ex- 
 clusively as a jennet jack at $40 per jennet. 
 
 I had at that time about seventy-five jacks and jen- 
 nets and was compelled to farm many of them out 
 to stockmen on the shares. I tried to select good, 
 steady, sober, upright men, that had farms of their 
 own and men that would take care of them, those who 
 had grass and were fond of this class of stock. I had 
 selected men from my own county (Rutherford), Bed- 
 ford, Cannon, Coffee, Wilson, and Marshall counties. 
 They had given me their obligations to take special 
 good care of my jennets and be at all expense in breed- 
 ing and rearing of said stock for a period of some 
 three years, and some five years. They also agreed 
 and bound themselves to consult me in the breeding 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUI.ES 33 
 
 of the jennets; they were not to breed to jacks that 
 stood for mares, but were to breed to the best jacks 
 that were standing for jennets alone. My object was 
 to improve my stock, and make it better all the time. 
 I was sure that all of the jennets I owned or had 
 farmed out, if bred to such jacks as Maringo Mam- 
 moth, and should bring jack colts, and were properly 
 cared for, could be readily sold for remunerative 
 prices, say from $500 to $1,000 or more at maturity. 
 At the expiration of the time for which the stock was 
 farmed out, the original jennets were to be returned 
 to me in as good condition as when they were taken 
 away. Of some of the premium jennets, I was to 
 have two-thirds of the produce, and of the others one- 
 half. 
 
 But when the four years' war ended, many of the 
 farms in my section (Middle Tennessee) were torn to 
 pieces, both armies having been about there for a 
 number of months, and finally met at our city, Mur- 
 freesboro, and fought one of the heavy battles of the 
 war, called the Battle of Stone's River, or Battle of 
 Murfreesboro. Many of the parties came to me and 
 said that they were not able to carry out the contract 
 that they had made with me before the war; that 
 they were left in destitute circumstances. They could 
 scarcely get bread for their children. They stated 
 that the mares were nearly all taken out of the coun- 
 try by the soldiers, and if they had jacks they would 
 be of no value to them then. So they insisted posi- 
 tively that I must take the stock and release them of 
 any further obligation and give up the breeding bills 
 and that I should have all the proceeds up to that 
 date. I told my patrons it was a liberal proposition 
 
34 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 on their part, but I stated it was like putting five 
 wheels to a wagon. I thought I might be able to care 
 for the stock through the spring, summer and fall 
 months, by grazing them on my farm of several hun- 
 dred acres, nearly all well set in grasses adapted to 
 the different qualities of the soil, but knew I could 
 not possibly care for them during the winter under 
 existing circumstances. 
 
 This stock could not be disposed of in my country, 
 owing to the ravages of the war, but must be taken 
 off where the people had not suffered so much, and 
 where such stock was needed, and also where there 
 was money. I was engaged in the practice of medicine 
 at the time, but gave that up in order to take my sur- 
 plus stock off and try to dispose of them before winter. 
 I began making my preliminary arrangements for a 
 trip : procured a suitable two-horse wagon and a camp- 
 ing equipage, making arrangements for a camp life. 
 I procured a very good salesman to aid me in dispos- 
 ing of my stock in the event I should get sick or 
 unable to attend to business. I also procured a hand 
 for every four or five jacks. I had the animals 
 coupled together with a check stick so as to prevent 
 them from biting or rearing on each other. I taught 
 them to stand beside each other a short time before 
 coupling them together for the road. The jacks soon 
 learned to walk side by side after a little training. 
 I had the jacks to travel in front of the wagon and 
 the jennets behind the wagon, to prevent the jacks 
 from fretting after the jennets. I had small boxes 
 made to feed the jacks in, one made a little larger than 
 the other so as to let them fit in each other that they 
 could be handled in the wagon without taking up 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 35 
 
 much room. We usually got suitable pastures for our 
 jennets, but the jacks were kept haltered to trees if 
 we were camping in the woods, or to fences, as the case 
 required. Our wagon cover was waterproof, which 
 kept our bed clothing and wearing apparel dry. 
 
 We were now ready to start on our campaign. 
 About the 15th of September, 1865, we were on our 
 route to southern Illinois. Had some of my kind 
 neighbors to go with me for a day or two so as to get 
 my stock accustomed to the road. We started with 
 fifty head — twenty-five jacks and twenty-five jennets. 
 We traveled by way of Clarksville, Tenn., and crossed 
 the Cumberland river above the city a few miles. 
 There we had some trouble with our jennets. We 
 could not take all of our jennets at one time, owing 
 to the size of the ferryboat, which was small and had 
 no banisters to it. After we got the second load of 
 jennets in the boat and had left the shore a short dis- 
 tance the jennets became frightened and commenced 
 jumping overboard into the river and swam ashore. 
 I came very near being run over by the stock as they 
 left the boat. We should have had a better boat for 
 ferrying loose stock! This stock is afraid of water 
 and we have trouble frequently in getting them to 
 cross water on a bridge. Have had to put a rope 
 around the under jaw and tie it to my horse's tail and 
 have two strong men to take a plank or pole and put 
 it behind the jack's rump and have the men to push 
 while the horse pulled by his tail. This has been done 
 frequently in getting the stock to cross branches and 
 creeks where there is no bridge. H you are handling 
 this stock and have to travel much with them you will 
 soon become acquainted with some of their peculiar 
 
36 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 characteristics. After crossing the Cumberland river 
 we moved on to the neighborhood of Hopkinsville, 
 Ky., where we spent the Sabbath. 
 
 On Monday morning we made our first sale. We 
 made it a rule not to travel or trade on the Lord's day. 
 We sold a very fine four-year-old jack that I had 
 raised, called Beauregard, to a company of four nice 
 gentlemen who paid me nine hundred dollars cash. 
 He was a good jennet jack and was sired by an im- 
 ported jack called Prince Napoleon, that was imported 
 by General Edney, of North Carolina, while consul, 
 during President Polk's administration. The dam of 
 this jack was a premium jennet for a half interest in 
 which I gave my brother. General J. M. Knight, $250. 
 She was sired by my jennet jack Maringo Mammoth. 
 Beauregard made quite a character as a fine breeder, 
 for both mares and jennets, around Hopkinsville, Ky. 
 
 My next sale was between Hopkinsville and Prince- 
 ton, Ky. I sold a half-interest in a four-year-old jack, 
 fifteen hands high, a dapple gray, to Mr. Clardy, who 
 formerly lived in Bedford County, Tennessee, and 
 had made quite a reputation for handling good stock, 
 especially the saddle stallions. He reared the noted 
 horse. Blue John, that was so famous for producing 
 that class of stock. This horse was taken by the Fed- 
 eral soldiers during the Civil War into Indiana and 
 was subsequently brought back to Tennessee, where 
 he made his mark. Mr. Clardy gave me $400 for one- 
 half interest in this jack and was to keep him five years 
 and be at all expenses for that period, except that I 
 was to pay one-half of the United States government 
 tax ($10), and for half of a ten-dollar show bridle. 
 I also fatmed Mr. Clardy one of my fine jennets, 
 
JACKS, JKNNKTS AND MULES 37 
 
 with a sucking jennet colt, which he was to keep and 
 breed for five years and return the jennets. At the 
 expiration of that time this sucking colt had a fine 
 sucking jack colt worth $200. I bought Mr. Clardy's 
 interest in all the stock and shipped them home to 
 Middle Tennessee — Murfreesboro. 
 
 We crossed the Ohio river at a place called Cave 
 in the Rock. Here one of the young men came to me 
 and told me he could not swim and was afraid to cross 
 the river; that he had a cousin living in the Ken- 
 tucky purchase and he preferred staying with him 
 until I returned from Illinois. After crossing the 
 river I sold one of my young jacks to an aged Irishr 
 man whose name I have forgotten. There was an 
 agricultural fair going on near the river and we con- 
 cluded to stop over and show our stock. We took 
 some premiums. I remember there was a premium 
 offered for the best and fastest saddle stallion one 
 mile and repeat. I owned old Brown Pilott and was 
 riding and driving my jennets that trip on him. I did 
 not have any time to prepare him for the race, but he 
 had been trained and raced before with some success. 
 I think he was sired by Brown Pilott, of Kentucky. 
 My horse, Brown Pilott, was the sire of the noted 
 pacing horse Bone Setter, Brooks and other good ones. 
 I had a young man with me, a good rider, and had 
 my horse ridden around the track several times in 
 a brisk pace so as to make him familiar with it, but 
 not strain or make him track-sore. So when the day of 
 the race came there were six entries and there had 
 been a heavy rain. The track was muddy and there 
 was a swag in the track for about fifty yards wide, the 
 water six or eight inches deep, so that the horse had 
 
3S BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 to pace through. Brown Pilott won the race in good 
 style in two heats. The riders were so wet and muddy- 
 it was hard to tell one from the other. Mr. Ephraim 
 Nesbitt was my jockey and my neighbor, and went 
 the round trip with me and was a most excellent as- 
 sistant. I mention this trip and circumstance not to 
 encourage sporting, but on the contrary would advise 
 all of my readers to abstain from all manner of evil 
 and to keep from forming any bad habits. It is much 
 easier to contract bad habits than it is to abandon 
 them. 
 
 I have great partiality for all kinds of fine domestic 
 animals, and have raised some animals that have dis- 
 tinguished themselves on the turf as pacers, viz. : 
 Tom Hal, the sire of Snow Heels; and he sired the 
 famous brood mare, Sweepstakes, that was the dam of 
 Hal Pointer, 2.43^ ; Star Pointer, i.59j^ ; and eight 
 others that all had good records. She certainly was 
 the most famous brood mare for producing pacers on 
 the American continent. 
 
 I feel it due to give a brief history of the sire and 
 grandsire of this famous old brood mare, which lived 
 to be twenty-nine years old : Snow Heels was her 
 sire and was bred and reared by me in Rutherford 
 County, Tennessee, and he was sired by my Tom Hal, 
 he by Major Kitrell's Tom Hal, and he by Tom Hal, 
 of Kentucky. My Tom Hal had four thoroughbred 
 blood crosses on his dam's side, and looked more like 
 a thoroughbred blood horse than a saddle stallion. 
 Snow Heels' first dam was sired by Puckett's Glencoe, 
 and he was sired by imported Glencoe. Puckett's 
 Glencoe's first dam was the noted four-mile mare, 
 Frances Terral, by Bertran, he by Sir Archie, and he 
 
JACKS, JENNETS ANt> MtJI.ES 39 
 
 by imported Diomeed. So you will perceive that 
 Snow Heels and Tom Hal's dams had a great deal 
 of fine, thoroughbred crosses which gave such speed 
 and endurance to their descendants. Mr. Edmond 
 Geers stated to me that Hal Pointer was the best 
 campaign horse that he had ever pulled a line over. 
 
 The late Major Campbell Brown in writing me for 
 the pedigree of Snow Heels stated that his mares 
 were greatly sought after. Snow Heels' second dam 
 was sired by Mr. Wm. Thomas' noted stock horse, 
 Brown Solomon, and his pedigree ran back to the 
 old Sir Archie and Diomeed crosses. This noted brood 
 mare was exhibited at Shelbyville, Bedford County, 
 Tennessee, when a sucking colt in a large lot of colts 
 and was awarded the first premium. I purchased 
 her from Dr. Daniel Johnson when a filly at a large 
 price. He told me that the dam of this filly was the 
 best saddle mare he ever saw or owned. The doctor 
 was an old man and had practiced medicine for many 
 years at Liberty, in Rutherford County. I bred this 
 mare to my jack, Monarch. She brought me a mare 
 mule that I sold at weaning for one hundred dollars. 
 This was the first and last sucking mule colt I ever 
 saw sold for that price. 
 
 Tom Hal and Snow Heels were both fine, com- 
 manding saddle stallions and very popular. I owned 
 them when the Civil War was going on and the officers 
 of both armies wanted them. The Federal army got 
 Tom Hal three times and we succeeded in getting 
 him back twice, but the third time he was taken I 
 never was able to recover him. Was ofifered twelve 
 hundred dollars for him before the commencement of 
 the war. 
 
40 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 I sold half interest in Snow Heels to my brother, 
 General J. M. Knight, and he was taken by the Con- 
 federate soldiers and was carried to Canton, Miss., 
 where my brother got him and brought him back to 
 Marshall County, Tennessee. There is quite a history 
 connected with those two saddle stallions and their 
 descendants. Sweepstakes as a breeder of pacing 
 horses sired by Snow Heels has never been equaled 
 in America. Her dam, I think, was sired by Mc- 
 Minn's Traveler, another well bred saddle stallion with 
 good thoroughbred blood crosses. You will perceive 
 that the crosses of the thoroughbred blood stock are 
 essentially necessary to give bottom or stamina to the 
 pacer, trotter or running horse. 
 
 But with all that is so fascinating and alluring 
 about the fine speed horses in every line I want my 
 friends to understand that I do not advise them to 
 get in that line of business. In my younger days I 
 was associated with race horses and was very fond 
 of seeing them run. My father was engaged in breed- 
 ing fine stock and he gave me an interest in a fine 
 colt that was sired by Thornton's Old Ratler, by Sir 
 Archer, by imported Diomeed. I rubbed this colt 
 and imagined that we had in him a world beater. 
 Jeffrey Beck was our trainer. He was an uncle of 
 General Bedford Forrest, and esteemed as a trainer of 
 horses in his day, that is, about 1837. While we 
 were campaigning with our horses I witnessed so 
 much gambling with cards and heard so much pro- 
 fane language, that I had such a disgust for cards 
 that I did not want to learn anything about them. 
 Now in my eighty-sixth year of age could not tell the 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 4I 
 
 name of each card. So you may know what I think 
 of them! 
 
 I have made quite a digression from my trip to 
 IlHnois. I think I left off at a fair ground where I 
 put Brown Pilott in a race. It has been about thirty- 
 six years since and I have forgotten the name of the 
 place. We won the race and made some sales and 
 went to a place called Salem. There I found a farmer 
 that offered me ten two-year-old mules for a four- 
 year-old jack I had raised, fifteen hands high, and 
 was one of the best that I had in my drove when I 
 started from home with twenty-five head of jacks and 
 the same number of jennets. I had bred a number 
 of my jennets to this jack (Harry of the West). I 
 did not want to dispose of him until I had sold my 
 jennets, for I wanted those who would buy the jennets 
 to know what a fine jack they had been bred to. I 
 made a trade with the farmer at Salem with this 
 proviso: That if, when I had disposed of all of my 
 jennets, I did not have an opportunity of selling him 
 for money, or swapping him for better matured stock, 
 I would make the trade with the first offer of ten 
 two-year-old mules. 
 
 We then traveled west and located in Bond County, 
 Illinois, where we pretty well closed out all of our 
 jennets; had sold and bartered until we were about 
 ready to start home. We sold to a firm in Mulberry 
 Grove three thousand dollars' worth of jacks and jen- 
 nets. We left the grove for Vandalia and stopped 
 to lay in our supplies to last us home, and while there 
 saw two gentlemen who wanted our jack, Harry of 
 the West. They stated they had one hundred and 
 fifty mules and would give me nine three-year-olds 
 
43 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 as good as a three-year-old iron-gray mare mule I had 
 bartered for, and she should be the sample. She was 
 fifteen hands high and smooth. Thinking I could sell 
 nine three-year-olds for more than I could ten two- 
 year-olds, I agreed to go and see the mules. We had 
 to travel nine miles obliquely from our main route 
 home. We took the jack and the sample mule and 
 spent the night. We had no special trouble in agree- 
 ing about the selection of the mules. The company 
 that wanted my jack, wished to exhibit him at the 
 state fair in Illinois. The party assisted me in getting 
 the stock to my camp. 
 
 We then went the direct route to Hopkinsville, Ky. 
 Here we sold out our surplus stock to the party who 
 had bought Beauregard, as we were going to Illinois. 
 In bartering the jack, Harry of the West, we got 
 about twelve hundred and fifty dollars for him. I now 
 desire to refer very kindly to my venerable friend, 
 the late Rev. Mr. Woolard, of Mulberry Grove, Bond 
 County, Illinois. He was originally from Maury 
 County, Tennessee, and had settled in Illinois at an 
 early date. He rendered me valuable service while 
 there. 
 
 I was nine weeks making this trip, and bartered 
 and sold together about ten thousand dollars' worth of 
 jacks and jennets that I could not have sold at home 
 for one thousand dollars cash, owing to the ravages 
 of war. I had left on my farm quite a number of 
 jacks and jennets for which there was no demand 
 in my section of country, consequently after having 
 made that long and tedious journey to Illinois, I had 
 necessarily to hunt other localities that had not suf- 
 fered so much from the destruction of the armies. 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 43 
 
 I made several other trips into different states — 
 Alabama, Georgia, East Tennessee, West Tennessee, 
 Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Texas. I traded in 
 Texas before any railroad depot was established at 
 Fort Worth. When trading in any adjoining states, 
 I usually had a light two-horse wagon and a tent, 
 and bought our feed by the wholesale for our stock, 
 and when the weather was favorable, we camped out, 
 and avoided heavy hotel and stable bills. 
 
 I made it a point when I found a man that wanted 
 any of my stock, and could not pay me all cash, to 
 barter with him, he to pay me some money, and I would 
 take young mules, good fillies, young cattle, or take 
 cotton in the bale, or anything that I could soon con- 
 vert into money. Have traded for fat hogs and shipped 
 them home on the cars. The cotton I could place 
 in the hands of a merchant at nearest depot, and let 
 him sell it for me. After disposing of my jacks I 
 would concentrate the cattle, fillies and mules, and 
 ship on the cars, provided the distance was too great 
 to drive through by land to my home. I want to 
 state right here, that cattle shipped from the Southern 
 states, north several degrees, appear to do well them- 
 selves, but the native cattle that graze on the same 
 pasture with the Southern cattle frequently die of a 
 disease similar to murrain. On the other hand, when 
 matured cattle are shipped from Tennessee, several 
 degrees south, they are apt to die soon. It is much 
 safer to select calves to ship to a southern climate, to 
 avoid cattle fever, and the best season to ship is late 
 in the fall, when the weather becomes cool. I have 
 had a good deal of experience in this line of business. 
 I remember when trading in Arkansas, camping out 
 
44 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 in the canebrake section, and preparing our meals at 
 night, the broiling of our meat would attract the 
 wolves, and we could hear them howl. At that date, 
 deer, bear, turkeys, and all kinds of wild game were 
 plentiful, and are yet in some places. 
 
 While traveling through the rich bottom lands of 
 Arkansas we saw great • quantities of mast, such as 
 pecans, acorns of different kinds, switch cane, that 
 would keep stock in good order through the winter 
 and spring seasons. An old native living in the neigh- 
 borhood came to our camp and was regretting his mis- 
 fortunes, saying he had lost a great deal of money 
 while living there. I asked him how it occurred. He 
 said it was because he did not have money to buy 
 hogs to eat the mast that rotted in the swamps. I 
 have seen pretty good pork taken to St. Louis, that 
 had been fattened on mast. 
 
 While trading in Arkansas I met with a Kentuckian 
 who had a herd of improved Durham cattle of one 
 hundred and fifty head, and proposed giving me fifty 
 head of cows that would be fresh to give milk the 
 following spring, for a young stallion and a large 
 sixteen-hand jack I had, and agreed to keep the cattle 
 on the switch cane until April or May following. His 
 rancho was on White river at a place called Peach 
 Orchard Bluff. There were about one hundred acres 
 not subject to overflow. When I went after the cattle 
 there had been a considerable freshet, and we had to 
 take a canoe and go through the woods nine miles to 
 reach the cattle. We built a lot on the bank of the 
 river, collected and assorted the cattle. We had to 
 lariat mine, and draw them on the steamboat by a 
 windlass, which was no small undertakmg. They 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 45 
 
 were taken to Williamsport on White river, and there 
 put on the cars, shipped to St. Louis and sold. I will 
 state here, that while in the bottom lands in Arkansas 
 I saw in the fork of a cypress tree an eagle's nest, 
 the first and last I have ever seen. When I traded 
 for the cattle, I expected to take them to New Orleans 
 or Memphis, but learned that an ordinance had been 
 passed in both of those cities forbidding cattle to run 
 on the streets, because they were expecting an epi- 
 demic of cholera, consequently had to go to St. Louis 
 and closed out. I made this trip alone, and would not 
 be willing to make a similar one, with plenty of good 
 help, at my advanced age. 
 
 I will not tax my readers with an account of my 
 trips in Texas, Missouri, Kansas and other states. 
 Before closing this part of my book let me advise that 
 when the country is in a prosperous condition, as a 
 general rule, the stock farmer had better keep good 
 stock, keep them in fine, saleable order, stay at home, 
 and advertise well, and he will generally meet with 
 success in selling his stock. 
 
 I hope my friends will pardon me for a little egotism 
 in stating that I put up the first sale stable in Nash- 
 ville, Tenn., to sell jacks and jennets. I have sold 
 them in fourteen different states, and some that were 
 carried out of the Uinted States, and have frequently 
 sold jacks at different times to the same customers, 
 but up to date have never had a lawsuit or litigation 
 with one of my customers. He would take the jack 
 home, and do business with him, perhaps two or three 
 seasons, and get the growth and development of the 
 animal, and his services, and sell him for a good profit, 
 and come back, and buy another one or two. I have 
 sold several in that way. 
 
46 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 Before leaving this part of my book, I wish to refer 
 my readers to the Hfe of Judge J. D. Goodpasture as 
 written and published by his sons, A. V. and W. H. 
 Goodpasture, containing also sketches of their visits 
 to Europe in search of stock, especially the jack and 
 jennet stock, which they imported eight different times 
 to this market, Nashville, Tenn. This book will be 
 found very interesting to all parties engaged in stock 
 raising and selling, as there is a great deal of infor- 
 mation to be had from reading it. Messrs. A. V. and 
 W. H. Goodpasture have a large book store on Church 
 Street, Nashville, where this book can be found. I 
 will also state that Judge Goodpasture and son had a 
 sale stable of jacks and jennets very near mine for 
 several years ; when they had a customer to whom they 
 did not sell, they would either bring or send him to 
 my stable to see my stock, and we did the same by 
 them, which made everything between us work very 
 pleasantly and harmoniously, although in the same line 
 of business. 
 
 THE MULE. 
 
 I have been for some time writing about the jacks 
 and jennets, of the different species of them that have 
 been imported from Europe, especially those that have 
 been brought from Spain, France and Italy. I think 
 that from the year 1885 to 1893 Tennessee imported 
 from those three above named countries and the 
 islands of the Mediterranean Sea. Durmg those eight 
 years about eight hundred to one thousand jacks and 
 jennets were landed in and around Nashville. I think 
 it can be truthfully stated that Tennessee imported 
 more jacks and jennets than all the other states in the 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 47 
 
 United States put together in the eight years. Hence, 
 we have had the pick of the best stock of Europe to 
 select our jacks and jennets and from them we ought 
 to rear the finest class of mules out of our fine brood 
 mares. Tennessee ought to stand at the head of the 
 list with her advantages now if she will only do her 
 duty in breeding to the best jacks and jennets and 
 best class of brood mares. 
 
 The mule is a hybrid, the product of a jack and 
 a mare. The hinny is also a mongrel, the produce 
 of a stallion and jennet. The latter is seldom seen 
 in our country, but resembles the mule very much. 
 It is claimed that they partake more of the nature of 
 the horse in form and disposition than the jennet. 
 They have a neater head and heavier mane and tail 
 than a mule, and a larger foot, but it is thought that 
 they have not the endurance of a mule. I do not 
 remember ever seeing but two hinnies ; one of them 
 I saw in Texas on the Brazos river, the other was in 
 Bedford County, Tennessee. The hinny is said to 
 make a noise more like a horse, while the mule brays 
 more like a jack. I think one reason that we have so 
 few hinnies in our country is, that stallions have an 
 aversion to jennets, and will not serve them unless 
 they have been reared with jennets, as jack colts are 
 reared with filly colts, when they are first weaned. 
 
 I have tried to impress upon jack breeders the great 
 importance of taking their jack colts away from their 
 own species and put them with filly colts as soon as 
 they are weaned and let them continue to remain with 
 them until the jack colt becomes too rough for the 
 fillies. By this time the jack colt becomes attached 
 to the filly and then you will not have trouble to 
 
4$ BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 break him to business at a proper time. I will also 
 repeat what I have written when speaking of training 
 jacks, that they should be away from mules as well 
 as jennets. Some jacks are partial to mules and I 
 have known mare mules used to get jacks ready to 
 serve mares. 
 
 At an early day mules were used for riding. In 
 the patriarchal ages the ass, ox and camel were the 
 principal beasts of burden, but in our day we use the 
 horse, ox and mule, the latter especially for the South 
 and tropical climate. Since the Spanish-American 
 War there has been so much tropical territory added 
 to the United States, that the demand for mules has 
 increased and will continue to increase until those 
 tropical islands of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans are 
 suppHed with mules. Of all the beasts of burden and 
 for agricultural purposes, especially for the South, 
 there are none equal to the long-lived and hardy mule. 
 He lives much longer than the horse, perhaps more 
 than twice as long, and is not so subject to disease. 
 He consumes much less food, pulls under a cold collar 
 and is not so liable to balk. His hoof is more deeply 
 cupped and is tougher, consequently he will hold a 
 shoe much longer than a horse. He is considered 
 more sure-footed than a horse, and I have known 
 physicians who preferred riding a mule to using a 
 horse. 
 
 Will give you a description of the different classes 
 of mules by Messrs. Shryer & McConnell, of Nash- 
 ville, Tenn., who are perhaps the largest mule dealers 
 in Tennessee, and are reliable business men. 
 
 The sugar mules run in age from three to five years 
 old and from fifteen and a half to sixteen and one- 
 
JACKS, JKNNETS AND MUI.ES 49 
 
 fourth hands high; they are fed from the time they 
 are colts until they are shipped to Louisiana. 
 
 The mine mules are from fifteen to sixteen hands 
 high, from five to ten years old, and must have bone 
 and good foot and good body. 
 
 The dray mules are from five to eight years old, 
 fifteen and three-fourths to sixteen and one-half hands 
 high, from 1,200 to 1,400 pounds. 
 
 The cotton mules are from three to five years old, 
 thirteen and three-fourths to fifteen and one-fourth 
 hands. 
 
 The mules sold to the British government must be 
 from five to twelve years old, but must be sound and 
 free from blemishes. 
 
 Mules from fifteen and one-half to sixteen and one- 
 fourth hands high sell better in spring, summer and 
 fall for work in Tennessee. 
 
 The dealers begin to buy cotton mules in the fall 
 and fatten them for the Southern market, which com- 
 mences in October and continues until March. 
 
 There are several advantages in handling mules 
 over horses. You can sell them readily at any age. 
 They sell at weaning, one year old, or at two, three 
 or four, or at any age you have him in market order 
 you can get his cash value. You do not have to curry 
 and rub and educate to the different saddle gaits and 
 break him to harness before he is ready for market. 
 You can often sell them in carload lots instead of 
 selling by retail, and by so doing you get your money 
 in a bulk and can invest it to much better advantage. 
 
50 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 REMINISCENCES OF JACKS AND 
 JACK BREEDERS. 
 
 At a called meeting of the American Breeders' As- 
 sociation of Jacks and Jennets, held at Nashville, 
 Tenn., June 25, 1890, the executive committee ap- 
 pointed me to write an essay or history of our old 
 original jack stock and pioneer breeders of the United 
 States. In undertaking this somewhat difficult task 
 we have to be governed in a great measure by memory, 
 as we have but little literature on the subject of jacks. 
 History informs us that soon after the close of the 
 Revolutionary War the king of Spain presented to 
 General George Washington a Spanish jack and jen- 
 net. General Lafayette, after his return to France, 
 also presented him with a fine jack, which was bred 
 to the Spanish jennet, and produced the famous jack. 
 Compound, which sired some mules that were sold 
 after the General's death for upwards of two hundred 
 dollars each. This gave rise to considerable interest 
 in the breeding of mules, not only in Virginia, but 
 Kentucky, Tennessee and other states soon fell into 
 the same line. 
 
 Perhaps the credit is due the Hon. Henry Clay, of 
 Kentucky, for introducing the fine Spanish jacks into 
 that state. If our memory serves us correctly, he 
 introduced the noted imported jacks, Don Carlos, 
 Ulysses, Black Hawk, etc. These fine imported jacks 
 soon made the blue grass region famous for their 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 51 
 
 superior mules, sired by these imported jacks and 
 out of finely bred mares. Mules were one of the great 
 staples of Kentucky before the war. 
 
 Messrs. Aquilla Young and Everette, of Mt. Ster- 
 ling, Ky., owned Mammoth (imported). He was 
 considered the largest jack that had ever been im* 
 ported into the United States up to that time. They 
 were able to stand him alone for jennets at $100 per 
 jennet. 
 
 Mammoth made nine seasons before he died, and 
 his owners realized a handsome income from his 
 services by buying his jack colts and growing them 
 until they were two and three years old. Many of 
 his jack colts sold readily for $500 before weaning. 
 Perhaps no jack that was ever introduced into the 
 United States improved the jack and jennet stock in 
 bone and size equal to him. He was about sixteen 
 hands high, standard measure, and heavy like a horse. 
 
 The late Mr. Miller, of Millersburg, Ky., owned 
 some fine jacks. 
 
 In 1856 Lear Brothers owned the large jack, Buena 
 Vista, by Mammoth (imported). 
 
 The late Major Knox, of Danville, Ky., was con- 
 sidered one of the foremost breeders of jacks and 
 jennets before the war. He made quite a success in 
 rearing this stock, and captured more premiums with 
 his jacks and jennets than any breeder in the state. 
 
 Major Tarkington (the son-in-law of Major Knox) 
 is occupying the old, noted stock farm, and is rearing 
 some of the best stock in the same line. He has re- 
 cently purchased the noted jack. Paragon (imported), 
 of Dr. Curd and Wm. and R. Davis, all of Lebanon, 
 Tenn., at a cost of $2,000, and is using him for jennets 
 
52 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 exclusively. The major has, perhaps, the finest jennet 
 in the state, sired by Abran (imported). She is 
 fifteen and one-half hands high, very heavy and 
 stylish ; is a successful breeder and a fine show animal. 
 She is registered. 
 
 Messrs. W. L. Caldwell & Son, of Danville, Ky., 
 are spirited breeders. They are the owners of Giant 
 32, who took the first premium at the State Fair at 
 St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Mr. Hubble, of Danville, Ky., reared some most 
 excellent jacks and jennets. He bred Brignoli and 
 Luke Blackburn, that were recently sold at his dis- 
 persion sale at fabulous prices. 
 
 The earliest pioneer breeder in Tennessee, as nearly 
 as we can learn, was Colonel James Ridley, of David- 
 son County. He visited Virginia about 1820 and pur- 
 chased a jack called Compromise. He was the sire of 
 Colonel Ridley's Old Wonder, that was considered the 
 largest and best jack of his day in Tennessee. He 
 was to Tennessee what Mammoth was to Kentucky 
 as a pioneer breeder. 
 
 The late Jonathan Curran, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., 
 was a breeder of jacks and jennets about the year 
 1830. 
 
 In 1835 or 1836 my father, the late Captain James 
 Knight, visited Virginia and purchased a very fine 
 black jack, with white points, called John Bull. He 
 did business in Rutherford County, Tennessee, and 
 gave satisfaction as a popular breeder. He was said 
 to be the third descendant from the Royal Gift of 
 General Washington. My father also owned a jack 
 in North Carolina about the year 1820. I have an 
 imperfect recollection of this jack, as I was only four 
 or five years old. 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUI^KS 53 
 
 General A. Wilson, my father and my brother, Gen- 
 eral J. M. Knight, purchased in Kentucky the cele- 
 brated premium jennet jack, Maringo Mammoth. He 
 did business for a number of years in Marshall Coun- 
 ty, Tennessee, after which I purchased him as a nine- 
 year-old, and at a cost of $2,160, and used him ex- 
 clusively for jennets at $40 per jennet. The jack 
 was about sixteen hands high, standard, with unusual 
 weight and substance. We regarded him as the 
 largest and best adapted to improve the small-boned 
 jack stock that was ever introduced into Tennessee. 
 He was the recipient of every premium for which he 
 contended in the State of Kentucky, of his own age, 
 and captured every premium contended for in Ten- 
 nessee, and was shown at all the important fairs in 
 the middle division. He was black, with white points, 
 was sired by Maringo Mammoth, of Kentucky, and he 
 by Mammoth (imported). A number of his jennets 
 sold for $500 before the war. 
 
 I also owned the celebrated premium jack, Ben 
 Franklin, he being a purely bred Spanish jack. He 
 proved to be a most excellent breeder, both for mares 
 and jennets. He was the recipient of more premiums 
 than any jack of his day. I exhibited him at a great 
 many fairs in Middle Tennessee, at Chattanooga, and 
 at two state fairs in Georgia — one at Macon in 1873, 
 and at Atlanta in 1874. He was also exhibited in 
 Illinois'. In all of these places he met with success. 
 
 I think one of the first imported jacks ever brought 
 to Tennessee was taken to Maury County, and was 
 owned by a Mr. Thomas. He was afterwards sold to 
 General Gideon J. Pillow and brother. This was 
 Knight Errant (imported). I think he was imported 
 
54 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 about 1840. He proved quite an accession to Maury 
 and adjoining counties. 
 
 Dr. Boyd also owned a fine jack, called Philip — I 
 think by Mammoth. 
 
 The late Benjamin Harlan also owned a fine jack, 
 called Harlan's Mammoth. He made considerable 
 reputation. 
 
 The late J. J. Williamson, of Marshall County, 
 Tennessee, was an early and successful breeder of 
 jacks and jennets. He paid $500 at a very early day 
 for a jennet called Matilda. She was sired by Maringo 
 Mammoth, and was the dam of several remarkably 
 fine jennet jacks, among others being Black Prince, 
 sire of J. D. Reed's Longfellow, for which he paid 
 $2,250. Longfellow was a fine breeder and a success- 
 ful premium winner. His dam was also by Maringo 
 Mammoth. 
 
 The late Thos. Dean, of Bedford County, Tennessee, 
 was perhaps the earliest breeder of that county. He 
 owned the distinguished jack, Black-and-All-Black, 
 which sired Goliath, owned by Rev. T. B. Marks, and 
 was sold to a company in Alabama for $1,600. This 
 was regarded as a large price in that day for a native 
 jack. Rev. T. B. Marks is and has been regarded as 
 one of the very best stock breeders in Middle Ten- 
 nessee. 
 
 Messrs. Steel & Bro., Esquire Williams, Dr. Thomas 
 Lipscomb, Samuel Wood, J. D. Hutton, Cotner, and 
 others, of Bedford County, were all interprising jack 
 and jennet breeders. 
 
 Messrs. Goodrum, Chairs & Bellanfant owned the 
 jennet jack, Lord of the Isle. He was very large, and 
 was sired by Knight Errant (imported). 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 55 
 
 The late Pleasant Akin, of Maury County, owned 
 some very superior jacks, among others King PhiHp, 
 that took the $500 premium at the State Fair at Nash- 
 ville. In this exhibition he contended against some 
 of the best jacks in the state, among others the noted 
 Barcelona (imported), then owned by C. Oldham, 
 Major Sam and Colonel J. R. Davis, of Wilson 
 County, Tennessee. There was difficulty in determin- 
 ing this premium. The contention was between King 
 Philip and Barcelona (imported). Several extra 
 judges were called in before the decision was made. 
 They finally resorted to the tape line and measured 
 the jacks carefully, the native jack, King Philip, being 
 at last awarded the premium. 
 
 The late William Younger, of Santa Fe, Maury 
 County, was a pioneer and successful breeder, as was 
 also the late M. H. Mays, of the same county, and 
 who owned the following imported jacks, that were 
 used exclusively for jennets, viz. : Moro Castle, pur- 
 chased in Kentucky from the late Anthony Kilgore at 
 a fabulous price ; Napoleon the Third, an exceptionally 
 fine looking animal, and considered one of the finest 
 show jacks in the state. Mr. Mays stood each of these 
 jacks at $50, perhaps the highest figure that any jack 
 had ever commanded up to that date, this being about 
 1858. He also owned the two imported jacks. Mid- 
 night and Starlight. These were very fine jacks, and 
 were imported by the late A. C. Franklin and Major 
 Tul. Craig. Mr. Mays also owned the native jack, 
 Mohawk, by Mammoth (imported). All the above 
 jacks made their mark in Tennessee. 
 
 The late Wyatt Lane, of Coffee County, introduced 
 into his section some good Maringo Mammoth jacks 
 
56 BRKKDING AND REARING OF 
 
 before the war that improved the stock of that county 
 gfreatly. 
 
 Major AUman, Colonel McClellan and others, of 
 Marshall County, purchased the fine jennet jack 
 Bourbon from parties in Bourbon County, Kentucky. 
 He was a Mammoth-bred jack, and proved to be a 
 superior breeder. 
 
 The late Dr. Hocket, Dan Young, Mark Cockrill, 
 Sr., Colonel John Overton, Dr. Shelby, Colonel D. H. 
 McGavock, J. McRidley and Robert Rains, all of 
 Davidson County, were jack breeders. Colonel Rains 
 owned Black Prince (imported), used him awhile 
 as a jennet jack and sold him to Colonel Blythe, of 
 Wilson County. He purchased Black Mammoth of 
 Major Knox, Danville, Ky., just before the war, pay- 
 ing $2,500 for him as a three-year-old. He was sired 
 by Maringo Mammoth, of Kentucky. He proved 
 to be a superior jennet jack. He sired Black Prince 
 of Fair View. This jack was reared by Colonel R. 
 Rains, and was sold to Dr. W. A. Cheatham at an 
 early age for $1,000. This jack was a premium win- 
 ner in both Tennessee and Kentucky. I used him as 
 a jennet jack (soon after the war), and regarded him 
 as one of the best of his day. 
 
 I purchased the renowned sweepstakes premium 
 jennet jack. Black Satin, of Sampson Liggett, of Mar- 
 shall County, Tennessee. He was sired by Dr. Boyd's 
 Philip, a jack fifteen hands, standard, and a silky 
 black with light points. He captured a great many 
 sweepstake premiums in Middle Tennessee. I used 
 him as a jennet jack. He sired a great many fine 
 jacks; among others was J. J. Williams' Black Prince, 
 afterwards sold to Sam Wood. He was the sire of 
 
JACKS, JENNKTS AND MUI^ES 57 
 
 J. D. Reed's Longfellow, and others. It was said the 
 dam of Black Satin was the dam of $10,000 worth 
 of jacks. 
 
 If time and space would allow, I could mention 
 quite a number of jennets that were the dams of 
 several thousand dollars' worth of jacks. I will men- 
 tion anyway two that were owned by my father and 
 brother before the war. They sold from one jennet, 
 called Jenny Harlan, $4,000 worth. She was sired 
 by Benjamin Harlan's Mammoth. The other jennet 
 was sired by M. H. Mays' Mohawk. From this 
 jennet was sold $6,000 worth. They were both good 
 and regular breeders at my father's death, and I did 
 not keep up with their subsequent breeding. 
 
 I have mentioned these examples that they may 
 stimulate and encourage the young jack and jennet 
 breeders of our country. If they will select good, 
 well-bred jennets, breed with proper discretion, and 
 give vigilant attention to their rearing, I do not know 
 of any kind of stock farming that will excel it finan- 
 cially. 
 
 In about 1868 I purchased an imported Maltese 
 jack called Malta. He was bred and reared on the 
 Island of Malta, was landed at Charleston, S. C, 
 and brought to Cartersville, Ga., where I purchased 
 him. He, though rather small, made a good cross on 
 my large Mammoth jennets. While the Maltese jacks 
 are generally undersized, they are remarkable for their 
 vitality and longevity. 
 
 General J. M. Knight, of Caney Springs, Marshall 
 County, Tenn., did a jennet business with a jack called 
 Prince Napoleon that was imported by General Edney, 
 of North Carolina, while consul to Spain under Presi- 
 
58 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 dent Polk's administration. He was a very high- 
 styled jack, but was rather light of bone and body. 
 
 I think I have given a general, though imperfect, 
 history of the jack stock from soon after the Revolu- 
 tionary War down to the late Civil War. Now it is 
 my purpose to give a history of all the importations 
 since that war. The first importation was made by 
 the late A. C. Franklin and Major Tul. Craig, of Sum- 
 ner County, Tennessee, in about 1867 or 1868. They 
 brought over a very handsome lot of Catalonian jacks. 
 Among some of the most noted were Rifle and Laber- 
 dale. They were taken to West Tennessee and greatly 
 improved the jack stock of that section. Midnight 
 and Starlight were sold to M. H. Mays, of Maury 
 County. They were individually good ones. 
 
 The jack Mr. Franklin reserved from the importa- 
 tion for his own breeding was Black Forrest. He 
 proved to be a very popular breeder. Among the 
 many fine jacks that he sired was Ben Franklin, of 
 which I have already given an account. 
 
 Mr. Lyle, of Kentucky, about the year 1882 im- 
 ported Andalusians from about Seville. One of his 
 most noted animals, Abran, sold to W. L. Caldwell, 
 of Danville, Ky., sired Major George Tarkington's 
 premium jennet, that is about fifteen and one-half 
 hands high, Abran being only about fourteen hands. 
 
 Messrs. Leonard Bros., of Mt. Leonard, Mo. (Hon- 
 orable Chas. E. was a member of the firm), imported 
 in 1882 a lot of Andalusians, purchased in and around 
 Cordova and Seville. Some of these jacks were large, 
 over fifteen hands high. A jennet by one of them, at 
 the dispersion sale of our late lamented treasurer, 
 Major Gentry, sold for $750. Other jennets, at the 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUI.ES 59 
 
 same sale and by these jacks, also brought good 
 prices. 
 
 Mr. Graham, of Kentucky, about the year 1883 
 or 1884, brought over some Andalusians. We know 
 but little or nothing about them. Some three or four 
 years afterwards the same firm imported a few jacks, 
 some jennets and colts from Catalonia. 
 
 Messrs. Hoy Bros., of Nebraska, imported five jacks 
 from Catalonia in the summer of 1884. They were 
 excellent animals, but did badly after landing, mainly 
 on account of bad management and a lack of infor- 
 mation as to how they should be treated. 
 
 Luke M. Emerson, of Bowling Green, Mo., im- 
 ported about fifteen or twenty Catalonians in 1889. 
 Most of these were young jacks and colts, and among 
 the number a few excellent animals. In the same 
 year the Hon. Harkreader, of Okolona, Miss., im- 
 ported. He shipped his stock with Mr. Emerson, and 
 brought over the same kind and about the same 
 quality of stock. 
 
 Messrs. Kniffin & White, of Danville, 111., also im- 
 ported in 1889. They brought over only ten head — 
 all from the island of Majorca, and sold them mostly 
 in and around Higginsville, Mo. They were of ex- 
 cellent color and of good head and ears. Most of 
 them are registered. 
 
 D. Munroe, of Danville, La., made an importation 
 from Andalusia, Spain, in 1889. Most of his jacks 
 were purchased in the provinces of Cordova and Leon. 
 Many of them were black, but never having seen the 
 importation we cannot say what proportion, nor do 
 we know the exact number imported. Some of them, 
 however, have been registered, and judging from these 
 
6o BREEDING AND REARING OP 
 
 pedigrees suppose the jacks are large and of good 
 quality. 
 
 In 1889 a firm from Arkansas made an importation 
 from the kingdom of Andalusia. This was regarded 
 as one among the best lot of jacks ever brought from 
 that part of Spain. The majority of them were grays, 
 but they were heavy and of large bone. They were 
 on exhibition for the purpose of sale at the St. Louis 
 fair in the fall of 1889. Most of them were sold there, 
 and the balance were taken back to Arkansas. This 
 importation numbered about twenty-five head. 
 
 J. D. and W. H. Goodpasture and R. H. Hill landed 
 an importation at Nashville, Tenn., in March, 1886. 
 They were Andalusians from about the city of Cor- 
 dova, Spain, and were about twenty-five in number, 
 including both jacks and jennets. Some of them 
 were above fifteen hands high. In the fall of 1886 
 this firm brought over one of the best importations 
 ever made of Catalonian jacks. Included in the num- 
 ber was Jumbo, sold to a company for $2,000 ; Peacock 
 for $1,500; Boyd's Monarch, $1,500; the Douglas 
 jack, $1,500, at an auction, etc. The following year, 
 the firm being composed of J. D. & W. H. Good- 
 pasture alone, imported from the Cerdan (the frontier 
 of France and Spain, in the Pyrenees). In this im- 
 portation was purchased the jack Great Eastern, whose 
 likeness appears in this volume. Later in the fall 
 they made a second importation from the same place. 
 The next year they made an importation in connection 
 with Messrs. Lyles & Parmer of thirty head of Cata- 
 lonians and Majorcas. This was the largest importa- 
 tion ever made to America up to that time. The fol- 
 lowing year the firm again became J. D. & W. H. 
 
JACKS, JENNKTS AND MUI<ES 6l 
 
 Goodpasture, when they imported Majorcas, Catalo- 
 nians and Poitous to the number of fifty-seven head. 
 This stands as the largest individual importation ever 
 made to the United States. The present year, 1890, 
 they imported twenty head of jacks and jennets — all 
 Catalonians. 
 
 In the fall of 1886 Whitworth, Perry, Lester and 
 C. C. H. Burton imported twenty head of Catalonians. 
 This was an extra good lot. It included Paragon, 
 recently sold to George Tarkington, of Danville, Ky., 
 for $2,000. The following year Perry & Lester, Bur- 
 ton and Frank Lester, Jr., made a most excellent selec- 
 tion of Majorcas and Catalonians. There was scarcely 
 an inferior jack in the lot. Some of them were large 
 and superior jennet jacks. 
 
 The following year the firm became Perry, Lester, 
 Knight & Son, the selections being made in Spain by 
 William E. Knight and Frank Lester, Jr. This im- 
 portation included a colt two years and sixteen days 
 old that was sold to Smith Bros., of Murfreesboro, 
 Tenn., for $2,000, which, considering age, is the highest 
 price ever paid for an imported jack in the United 
 States. This jack (King James) is full sixteen hands, 
 and has proven to be an extra breeder for jennets. 
 There was a number of other good ones in the lot, 
 many of them being colts that afterwards developed 
 into magnificent jacks. 
 
 The same firm imported again the following year, 
 bringing good stock. They sold three half-brothers, 
 one yearling and two two-year-olds for $4,500. The 
 yearling colt (Spanish King) was sold to Dr. Kird, 
 Wm. and R. Davis, all of Wilson County, Tennessee, 
 for $1,500. He is developing into a first-class jennet 
 jack. 
 
62 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 Frank Lester, Jr., individually imported a lot of 
 Catalonian jacks in 1889. They were a good, even 
 lot. 
 
 In 1886 Dr. B. Stone Plumlee purchased two Anda- 
 lusian jacks and one jennet, and shipped to the United 
 States with the importation of J. D. & W. H. Good- 
 pasture. One of these proved to be a great breeder, 
 and is in Jackson County, Tennessee. 
 
 Dr. Plumlee imported the following year from 
 Malta, the year afterwards from Italy, and in 1889 
 from Catalonia. In the last lot was a colt that ranked 
 with the best imported. 
 
 In the spring of 1889 Messrs. Lyles & Parmer im- 
 ported about twenty jacks and jennets, mostly jennets, 
 which they sold at auction at Lexington, Ky. 
 
 In 1889 also Pierce, Burford, Lyles, Parmer and 
 others imported a large number of Catalonian jacks. 
 
 In 1890 the same firm, with A. B. Harlan, of Maury 
 County, imported from the same place. 
 
 Messrs. Berry & Murray, of Hendersonville, Tenn., 
 made importations of Catalonians and Majorcas in 
 1 887- '88- '89- '90, including King of Inca, and other 
 good ones. 
 
 In 1887 a firm of Hebrews in Nashville, Tenn., 
 imported a lot of Italian jacks. I think that they made 
 two importations that year, and the following year 
 imported from Catalonia. 
 
 Messrs. Roth & McClain, in 1889, imported a few 
 Italian jacks also. 
 
 In 1887 Messrs. Ezell, Fannin and Burnett made 
 an importation of Catalonian jacks. 
 
 In 1889 a gentleman from Putnam County, Ten- 
 nessee, a Mr. Young, imported eight or ten Catalo- 
 nians. 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUI.ES 63 
 
 In i889-'90 Moseley, Whitaker & Co., Bellbuckle, 
 Tenn., made two importations of Catalonian jacks. 
 They were a good average lot. 
 
 There may be, and doubtless are, a few whose im- 
 portation is either unknown or has been unintention- 
 ally omitted, but there cannot be many such, and we 
 feel certain that there have been no very large impor- 
 tations omitted. We suppose there have been about 
 eight hundred or one thousand imported jacks and 
 jennets brought into and around Nashville in the last 
 five years. 
 
 If all those who import would confine their pur- 
 chases to such stock only as is calculated to improve 
 our own native jacks and jennets, Middle Tennessee 
 would soon be to the United States what Spain is to 
 Europe. The introduction of the inferior Mexican 
 and Texan jennets has been a great drawback to the 
 progress of elevating the standard of our jacks and 
 jennets. 
 
 Before closing this history, we wish to mention the 
 efficient services rendered by John Terry (colored), 
 who has made several trips to Europe as groom — 
 three with J. D. & W. H. Goodpasture, one with 
 W. E. Knight & Co., and two with Moseley & Whit- 
 aker. John is justly regarded as the champion groom 
 on a ship, and has had few accidents to occur to stock 
 while in his charge. 
 
 We wish to acknowledge our obligations to our 
 efficient secretary, W. H. Goodpasture, for services 
 rendered in getting up the history of the late impor- 
 tations^ etc. L. W. Knight, M.D. 
 
64 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 MARINGO MAMMOTH. 
 
 About the year 1850 the late General A. Wilson 
 and my father, the late Captain James Knight, both 
 of Marshall County, Tennessee, visited Kentucky, and 
 purchased a very superior jennet jack, Maringo Mam- 
 moth, in Boyle County. He was taken to Caney 
 Spring, in Marshall County, Tennessee, and did busi- 
 ness as a strictly jennet jack for a number of years 
 at $40 per jennet. My brother, the late General J. M. 
 Knight, then of Murfreesboro, Tenn., also had an 
 interest in him. I afterwards purchased him at a 
 cost of $2,160, and took him to my home, then in 
 Rutherford County, Tennessee, and kept him until he 
 died. This jack was about four years of age when 
 purchased in Kentucky. If my memory serves me 
 correctly, he was exhibited at Lexington and Danville, 
 Ky., and took premiums over his own class. He was 
 also shown at Columbia, Lewisburg, Shelbyville, 
 Nashville and Lebanon, Tenn., at all of which places 
 he was awarded the first premium. I regarded him 
 as the most suitable jack that had ever been intro- 
 duced into Tennessee to improve the small-bone stock 
 of our state, up to that date. He was about sixteen 
 hands high, black, but not a jet black, with white 
 points. He had a remarkably large bone, large head, 
 large foot and body, heavy like a draft horse, stood 
 on and carried his limbs well under him, had good 
 action for an animal of his size. He was sired by 
 Maringo Mammoth, of Kentucky, and he by imported 
 Mammoth that was owned by Messrs. Aquila Young, 
 and Everett, of Mt. Sterling, Ky. One of Maringo 
 Mammoth's dams was called Cleopatra, the others I 
 have forgotten. Imported Mammoth did business 
 
JACKS, JKNNKTS AND MULKS 65 
 
 nine years. He was shipped to the United States on 
 a saiHng vessel, there being no large ocean steamers 
 at that time. As was the custom then in shipping 
 jacks, he was placed on a swing, and was so heavy 
 that he was cut under the arms by the swing and the 
 continual rocking of the vessel, which caused a run- 
 ning sore perhaps as long as he lived. I am glad 
 to say the facilities for shipping stock have greatly 
 improved since that day. Imported Mammoth did 
 business at $100 per jennet, and his services were re- 
 munerative to his owners. 
 
 I have had a most excellent artist. Professor A. C. 
 Webb, of Nashville, Tenn., to make a drawing of 
 Maringo Mammoth from memory. I wanted my 
 stock friends to see a model of a native jack, that had 
 been worth perhaps $100,000 to Tennessee— he and 
 his descendants. I have succeeded in procuring cuts 
 of a number of imported jacks of different species, 
 from several countries, and thought it would be well 
 to have a cut of an extra good native jack to show 
 in my book, and hope I have succeeded in it. Several 
 half-brothers of Maringo Mammoth were introduced 
 into this state, at a later date, which were great acces- 
 sions to the jack and jennet stock of this part of the 
 country. L. W. Knight, M.D. 
 
 Dr. L. W. Knight, Nashville, Tenn.: 
 
 My Dear Father: At your request I cheerfully 
 submit a very brief sketch of my trip to Europe in 
 search of jacks and jennets of such quality as to 
 improve our native stock. My brother, W. E. Knight, 
 having been three times for the same purpose, was 
 somewhat satiated with travel or intimidated by storms 
 and floods, having encountered both, and insisted that 
 
66 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 it was my turn. So securing identification papers and 
 all necessary articles I started, in company with the 
 late Mr. Herman Roth, who was to be guide, inter- 
 preter and companion. He had crossed the Atlantic 
 thirty-five times, and could speak twelve languages ; 
 was familiar with all points of interest, and seemed 
 never to tire of showing them to me. 
 
 I bought New York exchange in Nashville, Tenn., 
 and carried same to Brown Bros.' banking house on 
 Wall Street and bought with it a letter of credit, which 
 enabled me to draw money at any city in Europe, so 
 numerous were the branch houses. We then looked 
 for ship, but found none would leave for Spain within 
 ten days, so to save time concluded to take passage 
 next day on a French mail ship bound for Havre, 
 France. After eight days and nine hours we were 
 landed at the beautiful city, some of whose streets 
 are paved with water. 
 
 While the object of our trip was jacks and jennets 
 we could not miss the opportunity of seeing the many 
 sights, so after taking in Havre, we started for Paris. 
 In a visit to the zoological garden there I saw the 
 skeleton of a whale ninety-two feet long, whose jaw- 
 bone was nineteen feet long; and the largest boa- 
 constrictors I ever saw — the diameter was not less 
 than six inches. The art gallery with its beauties 
 charmed by the hour, but time was precious so on 
 we went, only to stop and stand in awe at the grandeur 
 of Eiffel Tower. Here we were disappointed at not 
 being able to ascend, as it was being painted and 
 closed to visitors. 
 
 The next point of special interest was Switzerland 
 with its most beautiful lake Lucerne, encircled by lofty 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 67 
 
 mountains and romantic scenery. Here we took the 
 tourists' boat and rode the entire length, sixteen miles, 
 enjoying the whole immensely. Then by lake Como 
 on railroad. Then went to Magna Grotto, which is 
 3,327 feet above sea level, but the summit of moun- 
 tain above this grotto is 10,800 feet above the sea. 
 This tunnel is said to be nine miles in length and I 
 do not doubt it, for it took the cars considerable time 
 to pass through it. The descent makes two circles 
 into the side of the mountain to lessen the grade. 
 
 We then turned to the Adriatic seashore in northern 
 Italy, and traveled almost parallel with the shore into 
 the heel of Italy. Several times we left the cars and 
 went into the interior searching for stock, finding 
 some good ones. And here let me say it may surprise 
 some to know how these people care for their donkeys. 
 Very many of the houses are built of stone, and the 
 donkey is kept on the first or ground floor, which is 
 also of stone. The family occupies the rooms above. 
 Barri and Forga are the principal cities visited on the 
 Adriatic sea. We spent two weeks at Martino Franka, 
 and visited many villages that were used during the 
 feudal system, whose watch towers and belfries still 
 stand well preserved. Portions of the walls around 
 some of these villages are in a good state of preserva- 
 tion, whilst other portions have yielded to time. Then 
 on to Toranto on the great sea. Thence an all day's 
 ride on cars to Naples where we remained one month, 
 daily viewing the noted Mount Vesuvius, from the 
 city and several times passed by its base, through 
 Pompeii. During our stay in Naples we visited all 
 the places of interest in the city; the Royal Palace, 
 the castle which was built by the Romans, whose base- 
 
^ BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 ment is solid stone and now used for a penitentiary. 
 We frequented the beautiful parks on the beautiful 
 bay of Naples, where bands spent hours discoursing 
 sweet music each afternoon. One day the city was 
 awakened into new life by a visit from the king and 
 queen of Italy in company with their friends, the 
 emperor and empress of Germany, and the crown 
 prince of Greece. The ovation tendered them must 
 have satisfied their vanity, if not enough to turn their 
 heads. The city that once ruled the world (Rome) 
 next claimed our attention. The Vatican, the Col- 
 losseum. Royal Palace, St. Peter's and St. Paul's 
 cathedrals, the Pyramid, the Portal, and the Cata- 
 combs each was visited by us and excited wonder 
 and admiration. 
 
 Upon going back to Naples we discovered that 
 we could get transportation for the twenty-seven jacks 
 and jennets that we had purchased, on a Scotch 
 steamer bound for New York. So, without delay, we 
 began to make ready. Lumber and work on each stall 
 cost $10, and was only about thirty-eight inches wide. 
 Our stock was taken on board May i6, after paying 
 export duty on each animal, and $20 for litter to con- 
 vey stock and feed from shore to ship, and happy were 
 we at prospect of starting to America. We stopped 
 six hours at Gibraltar, taking cattle aboard for slaugh- 
 ter. A rope was fastened around their horns and they 
 were drawn upon the ship by machinery. They would 
 fight the air wildly with their feet, but were landed 
 safely on board. In midocean one of our jennets 
 foaled, and we named the dark-haired beauty Ocean 
 Wave, and he proved to be as restless and energetic 
 as the ocean itself. So instead of losing any we gained 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 69 
 
 one and took delight in nursing the baby colt while 
 the ship did the rocking. They, of course, had to be 
 watched day and night, but we felt amply rewarded 
 for our diligence when arrived at home without the 
 loss of one, and all in good condition. They were 
 much admired and brought fairly good prices. 
 
 This letter has been very hurriedly written and is 
 somewhat disconnected, and many places merely men- 
 tioned, that are quite noted, so there may occur some 
 errors, for my notes are quite limited, and a lapse of 
 almost eight years may cause some little variance in 
 memory. Trusting this may in some manner interest 
 some who may chance to read it, 
 
 I am your affectionate son, 
 
 James M. Knight. 
 
 December 3, 1901, Miirfreeshoro, Tenn. 
 
 STARLIGHT PARAGON 
 
 Is black with white points, was twenty-five months 
 old when this picture was taken, and is fully fifteen 
 hands high, horse measure. He has more length, size 
 and bone than most colts of his age. He is heavily 
 muscled, is strong and quite active, in fact, he has 
 unusual merit. He was shown at the Texas State 
 Fair, October, 1901, and took first premium in his 
 two-year-old ring, and took second premium in the 
 sweepstakes, where there were more than a dozen 
 entries from three different states. He is the best colt 
 in our knowledge to produce large smooth stock from 
 the average jennets of the country, he being large and 
 smooth and so well-bred that he cannot breed other- 
 wise than well. He is by Lell Jenkins' Starlight, he 
 
70 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 by old Starlight, he by Bellknap, etc. The late H. C. 
 Ezell refused $4,200 for old Starlight. 
 
 Starlight Paragon's dam was by imported Paragon, 
 that sold for $2,600. Hence, it will be seen that this colt 
 has descended from two of the best families in Ten- 
 nessee. Both have taken their share of prizes in show- 
 ings. He is the property of Knight & Jetton, Mur- 
 freesboro, Tenn. 
 
 Dr. L. W. Knight, Nashville, Tenn.: 
 
 My Dear Father : At your request I write you of 
 my three trips to Europe. In March, 1888, I left 
 Nashville, Tenn., accompanied by Mr. Frank Lester, 
 Jr., and John Terry, colored. Going direct to Wash- 
 ington, D. C, we procured our transports in case of 
 trouble abroad. Thence to New York, where I con- 
 verted the New York exchange into a letter of credit 
 with Messrs. Brown Bros, on Wall Street. This 
 letter of credit enabled us to draw money at any of 
 the leading banks in any city of note. We next went 
 to the office of the Cunard line to engage berths on 
 the Umbria, a very large and fine vessel, five hundred 
 feet in length. This ship was to sail in twenty-four 
 hours. In the meantime we took in some of the sights 
 in New York, which proved to be quite interesting. 
 At the appointed time we went to the ship to take 
 passage and bid adieu to the finest country in the 
 world, America. In taking, the step from the pier to 
 the ship I never had such peculiar feelings before 
 nor since. It occurred to me that I might be taking 
 the fatal step, leaving terra Urma to go out on the dark 
 blue sea, but as I was representing a strong company 
 and all arrangements were made, there was no back- 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 71 
 
 ing out, SO on I went. Many had come to bid fare- 
 well to friends and relatives. As the great ship started, 
 tears and handkerchiefs were in great evidence. All 
 this made me feel quite sad. I more fully realized 
 that I was leaving a bride of three months at home. 
 In a few hours everything assumed its normal con- 
 dition. Two days out the waves were roUing high; 
 the ladies who had almost lived on deck began to dis- 
 appear and did not come out again until the gales, 
 lasting three days, had passed. They looked as if they 
 had lost their best friend. In the meantime the writer 
 was getting considerable experience, often giving vent 
 to his feelings feeding the fish. Queenstown, Ireland, 
 was our first stop, discharging a few passengers, some 
 cargo and mail. This was Friday night, eleven p. m. 
 The next day we arrived at Liverpool, at eleven a.m. 
 On landing our baggage was examined, which re- 
 quired but a few minutes. We left Liverpool imme- 
 diately for London, stopping at Charing Cross Hotel, 
 too late for supper. We ate at a restaurant across 
 the street. Having satisfied our appetite we prome- 
 naded, taking in some of the sights of the great city. 
 The streets were crowded with people and the cops 
 were very conspicuous.- Charing Cross is quite a 
 large hotel, using stone for floors. Next morning 
 we took train for Dover, crossing English channel, a 
 distance of twenty-eight miles, to Calais, France. On 
 arriving at Dover we were informed that a vessel was 
 lost the night before, which is nothing unusual on 
 the channel. We consider this the most dangerous 
 body of water we ever crossed. From Calais we 
 went directly to Paris, the prettiest city we ever saw, 
 waiting here a few hours for our train. In Paris we 
 
72 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 had quite a little experience trying to instruct a 
 French cabman where to take us, as he could not 
 understand English nor we French. Finally an Eng- 
 lishman, taking in the situation, came to our rescue 
 and instructed the Frenchman where to take us. 
 
 Leaving Paris we arrived in Bordeaux the next 
 morning where our interpreter, Mr. P. Carles, met us 
 as instructed. He proved to be quite a pleasant gen- 
 tleman. I assure you it was quite a pleasant reUef to 
 meet him, as we could not speak any language except 
 English, therefore, it was difficult for us to get along. 
 I asked Mr. Carles where we could buy some good 
 jacks. He did not know, but referred us to Mr. 
 Ribo Saster, who lived in the Pyrenees Mountains in 
 France, near the Spanish line. 
 
 We met Mr. Saster in Toulouse, France. We ex- 
 plained our business to him, and asked him if he 
 could render the desired assistance to us. He seemed 
 to think he was the man we were looking for. His 
 services were at once engaged and off we put for 
 Barcelona, thence to Vick, which is situated in the 
 province of Catalonia. We found a few jacks in the 
 town ; after looking at them we hired a cart and driver 
 so we could visit the farmers and see their stock. We 
 found that in buying the more matured animals there 
 was considerable competition, besides they were not 
 plentiful, and we began to purchase colts from ten 
 months old up. The jacks in Spain are often kept in 
 the basement of the dwellings on stone floors. They 
 get but little to eat and not much exercise. Their chief 
 food is a large, coarse bean, a few shelled oats and 
 hay. Owing to this style of treatment we found three 
 decided advantages in selecting colts. One was no 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUI.ES 73 
 
 competition ; the second, we got picking choice ; and 
 the third was, after we got the colts home with proper 
 feed and exercise these colts would develop to a much 
 higher degree of perfection, and our expectations were 
 fully realized. For example, we sold three half-broth- 
 ers.; two were yearlings past and one two-year-old, 
 for $4,500. We purchased nineteen head. Most of 
 them were quite poor. We had led them over the Pyr- 
 enees Mountains into France, stopping at Axe, which 
 is about half way down the mountain and a very 
 popular watering resort. We remained here twenty- 
 four days getting our stock in condition for the long 
 voyage. They improved rapidly. At this place Mr. 
 Ribo Saster left us, as we were through buying. He 
 proved to be an excellent gentleman ; his judgment 
 was good and he impressed us as a man of unusual 
 energy. He lives at Porta, France. He invited us to 
 dine with him, which was a most excellent affair, 
 serving twelve courses. It is useless to say how much 
 we appreciated this act of kindness from a man that 
 we had known but a few weeks. Mr. Saster seemed to 
 take a great interest in me. Often at meals he would 
 say in broken English, "You no eat, are you seak?" 
 Mr. Saster came back to Axe to assist us in loading 
 our stock to ship to our sailing point, Bordeaux. As 
 we parted tears rolled down his cheeks and he kissed 
 me good-bye. We remained in Bordeaux but a few 
 days, sailing on the Chateau Lafite, of the Bordeaux 
 shipping line. We had a nice smooth voyage, losing 
 but one animal, in Jersey City. At this place we rested 
 our stock some thirty-six hours. We also made a short 
 stop at Covington, Ky., some eighteen hours, thence 
 home. Mr. Frank Lester is a big-hearted fellow, 
 
74 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 always in good spirits. John Terry proved to be a 
 most excellent man with stock on board ship. We 
 were gone about three months on this trip. 
 
 My second trip was in 1889. I was accompanied 
 by Mr. Walter Murray, of Mt. Juliet, Tenn. We left 
 Nashville in March, going direct to New York. There 
 we were met by Dr. B. S. Plumlee, who made the 
 entire trip with us. This time we sailed on the 
 Etruria, a handsome vessel of the Cunard line. She 
 has made quite a reputation for speed. The Etruria 
 is a twin ship to the Umbria. We landed at Liverpool 
 and went practically over the same territory as stated 
 in former trip. After buying some forty head we 
 heard of some jacks seventy miles away up in the 
 mountain where it was much colder and very deep 
 snow. Dr. Plumlee was complaining of being unwell, 
 so Mr. Murray and I made the trip, buying nine 
 head of good stock. In the meantime Dr. Plumlee 
 bought a few individual animals. Having purchased 
 in all fifty-six head, Mr. Murray returned to our 
 former field of business to assist in collecting, and 
 paying for that which we had already purchased and I 
 took the nine head to Toulouse, where we met and 
 reshipped to Bordeaux, our sailing point. We were 
 quite unfortunate this trip, losing twelve head in the 
 Atlantic and eight head from New York to Nashville, 
 twenty head in all. This time we shipped on second 
 deck and did not have sufficient ventilation, which 
 produced pneumonia. We used my former inter- 
 preter, Mr. P. Carles, and our genial commissioner, 
 Mr. Ribo Saster. Had our train been on time we 
 would have reached Johnstown at ten a.m., just in 
 time for the great flood, but fortunately for us our 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUI<ES 75 
 
 train was delayed some six hours. We were detained 
 at Altoona, Pa., thirty-five miles east of Johnstown, 
 some eight days on account of the many washouts on 
 railroad. We crossed a number of bridges just before 
 reaching Altoona ; several of them were washed away, 
 so we made a narrow escape after all. Our home 
 people were quite uneasy for some days, as they could 
 not hear from us. All communications were cut off 
 both by wire and postal, but after all we got in, in 
 good shape, minus several jacks. We had a good 
 many ups and downs mixed with pleasure. While at 
 Altoona we did not go to bed; some of our stock 
 were sick and greatly scattered and required attention 
 every few hours, consequently there was not much 
 rest for the weary. 
 
 My third and last trip was in 189 1. In company 
 with Mr. Herman Roth, an Austrian, we left Nash- 
 ville, August 19, and sailed on the Saala, of the German 
 Lloyd line, direct to Southampton, England, where 
 we were to take another vessel for Havre, France. 
 But this was twenty-four hours behind time, so we 
 took a special for London, where we spent a few 
 hours, going direct to Paris. While there we visited 
 the Eiffel Tower. It is a wonderful structure, tower- 
 ing about 1,000 feet. It required three different eleva- 
 tors to ascend to the top. It cost some three or four 
 francs to make the trip. We started to go up. After 
 reaching the second elevator my friend, Mr. Roth, said 
 he had gone far enough. I insisted on his going on 
 with me, but to no effect. He said he would remain 
 where he was until my return. On reaching the top 
 I had a bird's-eye view of the city and surrounding 
 country. People looked like children and horses like 
 
76 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 ponies on the streets. There is a house on this tower ; 
 in it is a restaurant and some small stores, and one 
 could buy most anything except a horse and buggy. 
 Leaving Paris we crossed the Alps into Italy. In 
 these mountains we saw a beautiful lake. Descending 
 we passed through a tunnel that required thirty-three 
 minutes to pass through. I suppose this is the long- 
 est tunnel in the world. The first city we came to of 
 importance was Turin, then to Genoa, reaching there 
 at night. This is a city of considerable importance, 
 situated on the Mediterranean. It was the birthplace 
 of Columbus. We spent a few hours in Rome, where 
 we visited St. Peter's Cathedral, which is an immense 
 structure, the largest in the world. Joining it is the 
 Vatican, where Pope Leo the Thirteenth lives. His 
 guards are gaudily dressed. We went to see St. Paul's 
 Cathedral, which is two miles out and quite handsome 
 and of more modern style. It is considered by many 
 the handsomer of the two. On our return to the city 
 we saw the Colosseum, which is practically destroyed. 
 In the center of the ring is a small stone structure 
 where wild animals were kept to kill the worst 
 criminals in years gone by. The next city we came 
 to was Naples, a city of large proportions ; from here 
 we went up into the mountain to buy our stock. We 
 purchased seventeen in all. There is some prejudice 
 against the Italian jacks, owing to some very inferior 
 ones having been imported, but this was pronounced 
 by competent judges one of the best all-round impor- 
 tations ever brought over. As a rule the Italian jack 
 is superior to the Spanish jack in color, bone, foot, 
 and constitution, but not altogether so stylish. We 
 kept our stock in Naples about two weeks waiting for 
 
JACKS, JKNNKTS AND MULES ^^ 
 
 our ship, the steamship CaUfornia. We sailed from 
 Naples through the Mediterranean Sea into the Straits 
 of Gibraltar. While stopping at Malaga to coal I went 
 ashore to see a bull fight given in behalf of the flood 
 sufferers. It was largely attended by both men and 
 women, and children. Would estimate the crowd at 
 20,000. Six bulls were killed and some twenty horses. 
 Bull fighting is the chief sport of Spain. It is anything 
 but elevating. Arriving at Gibraltar I went ashore 
 with the steward to get some green stuff for our 
 stock, but did not succeed in getting much. We 
 walked through the city. It is by far the best fortified 
 city we have seen. Leaving Gibraltar we encountered' 
 a storm, going around the Azores Islands, which 
 lasted for eighteen days. The question was often 
 asked by the passengers who was the Jonah on the 
 ship. This storm was something fearful. It seemed as 
 if every day would be the last. I have no desire to be 
 in another one like this. The Atlantic was said to be 
 rougher in October, 1891, than had been known in 
 thirty years. We were out in all twenty-four days, los- 
 ing one animal. Our ship was reported lost ten days 
 before we reached New York. The evening we sailed 
 from Naples Mr. Roth was cabled the news of the death 
 of his wife, but he failed to get it, which I suppose 
 was fortunate for him. He did not learn of her death 
 until he reached his home at Lexington, Ky. While 
 waiting for our ship at Naples I visited Mt. Vesuvius, 
 which is seven miles out. It is plainly seen from 
 Naples. It is constantly throwing out great volumes 
 of smoke. The crater or mouth of the volcano is 
 something Hke 150 feet square. I went right to the 
 crater and heard a fearful roaring noise. The lava had 
 
78 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 spread out over thousands of acres, often as high as 
 fifteen feet. I saw the spot where Pompeii once stood. 
 This was the roughest trip we ever experienced. We 
 lost but one animal, the others reaching home in good 
 condition. There were many places of interest that 
 I would like to have visited, but the opportunity did 
 not present itself. 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 W. E. Knight. 
 December 30, 1901, Nashville, Tenn, 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 79 
 
 BREEDS OF JACKS. 
 
 Less is perhaps known of the different breeds of 
 jacks and jennets than of any other character of live 
 stock. This may be said to be true even in those 
 sections in which they are best known, while in many 
 sections of our country absolutely nothing is known 
 of them. They simply know that a donkey is a don- 
 key, and that's the end of it. Now, we conceive it 
 to be of the utmost importance that breeders especially 
 should make themselves familiar with all the different 
 breeds, because there is a vast difference between 
 them, not only in appearance and color, but also in 
 their value as adapted to our country. If a man 
 wants a buggy horse he will hardly buy a Percheron, 
 and if he wants to raise the best animal for beef he 
 will scarcely invest in the Jersey. He knows of these, 
 and need not hesitate as to what breed to buy after 
 he has determined upon the purposes for which it is 
 to be used. Now, if a man has a herd of jennets, 
 too small of bone or too light of body, he ought to 
 know what breed is most likely to remedy these de- 
 fects in the progeny. If his herd is *'off in color," as 
 the saying is, then he ought to know what breed is 
 most likely to overcome such a defect. 
 
 Although such a thing properly has no place in a 
 stud book, it was, nevertheless, thought best to give 
 a short but succinct description of all the different 
 breeds of jacks in use in this country, because of the 
 
8o BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 popular ignorance above referred to, and because of a 
 general lack of literature upon the subject. 
 
 Upon the question of the breeds that have been in- 
 troduced into this country, and of their value as 
 adapted to it, I can perhaps do no better than quote 
 an address read before the East Tennessee Farmers' 
 Convention, with such corrections and additions as 
 may be thought necessary: 
 
 We find the jack the first animal domesticated by 
 man for the puroose of bearing his burdens and trans- 
 porting him in his tedious marches and travels. We 
 find him mentioned with respect in Genesis; that he 
 was carefully bred and reared by King David; that 
 he is the only one of the lower animals of which we 
 have record to whom was given the divine power of 
 speech, which he seems to have used with moderation 
 and discretion in a short conversation with Balaam; 
 that on him alone was conferred the undying honor 
 of conveying our Savior into the proud city of Jeru- 
 salem. That wayward son, too, of David — Absalom, 
 the Boulanger of the Jews — rode upon a mule beneath 
 the ill-fated branch that caught his flowing locks. 
 
 Beside these distinguished honors, I find that in 
 other countries, climes, and times they possessed dis- 
 tinguished characteristics unknown to our own do- 
 mestic ass. That in the mountain fastnesses of Arabia 
 they are said to be so fleet of foot that no horse can 
 overtake them, even in that country in which the horse 
 is described as being as fleet as the wind ; that in 
 certain parts of Africa their meat is of the most de- 
 licious flavor, and was gready sought after and ap- 
 predated by Roman epicures. He was used, too, in 
 ancient times for the same purpose that he is to-day, 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUIvKS 8 1 
 
 viz. : the propagation of mules ; and, during the Roman 
 occupation of Spain, the value of the males for this 
 purpose was placed at above $13,000. And this brings 
 me to the practical part of my subject — the profit in 
 breeding them. 
 
 I think the breeding of all kinds of jacks can be 
 made to a certain degree profitable, and I apprehend 
 that it would be of more interest to my hearers to en- 
 deavor to show in what breed there is the most profit, 
 rather than an abstract discussion of the subject of 
 jacks in general. And, therefore, I shall, as briefly 
 as possible, notice the diflferent races of jacks that 
 have been brought to this country, not in the order of 
 their importance, but in the order of their importa- 
 tion. And I shall endeavor to give a just and fair 
 estimate of their value as adapted to our country. 
 
 The first to be imported were from the Cape de 
 Verde Islands, and without doubt traced back to the 
 Portuguese. They were introduced into Connecticut 
 principally, and were used to raise a small and in- 
 ferior mule for export to the West Indies. At that 
 time jacks could not be imported from Spain on ac- 
 count of the Peninsular wars, and, therefore, the 
 specimens introduced were of such an inferior kind 
 that, as soon as the West India trade died out from 
 competition with better animals, the people ceased to 
 raise them, and because of their bad start they have 
 never commenced again. The same may be said of 
 Massachusetts. It is not because of climate, as many 
 erroneously suppose. They were, while in the busi- 
 ness, just as successful as any other part of the coun- 
 try, considering their material. Besides the jack does 
 not necessarily come from a warm country; indeed, 
 4 
 
82 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 the reverse may be said to hold good so far as the 
 best jacks of Spain are concerned. We have imported 
 some of our best jacks, Great Eastern among the 
 number, from a point in full view of the eternal snows 
 of the Pyrenees, and in bringing them home marched 
 them over snow in June. And let those who are en- 
 gaged in breeding jacks only think of the enormous 
 unoccupied field yet to be supplied with them. The 
 demand for them North has already commenced. 
 Some of our best sales last year were made to Indiana 
 and Illinois, to which points we had never sold before. 
 We are constantly in receipt of letters of inquiry from 
 Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, California, 
 and even far off Vermont. Some two or three weeks 
 ago I received a letter from a gentleman in one of the 
 Sandwich Islands, Hawaii, who was anxious to in- 
 troduce the jack on these rich and fertile islands. The 
 possibilities for the trade are beyond computation, and 
 a significant fact is that not above two or three states 
 now raise a surplus. 
 
 THE ANDALUSIAN. 
 
 Here in Tennessee we have experimented more or 
 less — but under the most unfavorable circumstances, 
 on account of a lack of organization and a stud book 
 — with all the prominent breeds. Those first intro- 
 duced were the Andalusians, and reached either 
 through Virginia or Kentucky. The king of Spain, 
 in 1787, presented to General Washington a jack and 
 jennet of this breed. The former was called the 
 Royal Gift. About the same time he was presented 
 with a Maltese jack by the Marquis Lafayette. The 
 Maltese jack was crossed on the Andalusian jennet, 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 83 
 
 the result of which was a very famous jack called 
 Compound, that proved to be much more popular as 
 a breeder than the Royal Gift, which was said to have 
 been selected from the royal stud, and was near six- 
 teen hands high, but ill-shapen and ungainly. 
 
 Not many years after this, the great orator and 
 statesman, Henry Clay, who always had an unbounded 
 love for agriculture and live stock, imported into Ken- 
 tucky a few Andalusians. No two men of that day 
 could have added greater popularity to a particular 
 breed — the one, the idol of the whole country, the 
 other, the leader of a great party and the nation's 
 most distinguished orator; and hence, every man who 
 wanted to experiment with jacks wanted to try this 
 particular breed. And the color especially has held 
 on so tenaciously that gray jacks are still extremely 
 common with us. 
 
 This is one of the most distinctive breeds of jacks 
 in existence. They are found in the southern part 
 of Spain, embracing the whole of the ancient kingdom 
 of Andalusia, and are evidently of an ancient race, for 
 we read of them and the profits arising from their 
 use in propagating mules during the Roman occupa- 
 tion and before the time of Christ. Columella, who, 
 in the reign of the Emperor Claudius, published a 
 treatise which has been handed down to us on the 
 husbandry and economy of the Romans, gives very 
 particular directions for breeding jacks and mules. 
 He was a native of Cadiz, Spain, owned large estates 
 there, and tells us that the best mules were raised in 
 that part of the country. 
 
 They are distinctively gray in color, sometimes in- 
 deed practically white, but in rare instances black, and 
 
84 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 even blue ones are to be found. To find one black, 
 however, is little in his favor, as he is just as apt to 
 breed gray as his brother, who is entirely white. The 
 blood is there and will show itself. In height they 
 are about the same as the Catalonian ; fourteen and 
 one-half to fifteen hands. They have a most excel- 
 lent leg; the bone is large and firm, and freer than 
 are the other breeds from what is commonly known 
 as "jack sores," viz. : a running sore that appears on 
 the inside of the knee and hock, and which sometimes 
 gives a great deal of trouble. They have a fairly 
 good head and ear, and are really a good jack. While 
 many of them have been imported into this country, 
 they have never been popular, chiefly on account of 
 their color. In this we believe the people to be right. 
 There are other races just as good, and some that we 
 think are better, that have the desired color, and the 
 progressive breeder should seek the ideal in all things. 
 
 We have heard at least one importer complain of 
 their not breeding regularly, but we do not think 
 this has been our observation of them. So far as 
 we have seen, they are as much to be depended upon 
 in this respect as any others. 
 
 The breed is now pretty thoroughly scattered over 
 this country, as in addition to those brought over be- 
 fore the war, they have been imported in the last few 
 years by Mr. Lyles, of Kentucky; Messrs. Good- 
 pasture, of Tennessee; the Messrs. Leonard, of Mis- 
 souri ; and in 1889 quite a large importation by a 
 firm in Arkansas. 
 
 Their hereditary tendency to gray can only be elimi- 
 nated by carefully breeding to one of the distinctively 
 black races. We do not think a gray or blue jennet 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 85 
 
 ought ever to be bred to a native jack if a black im- 
 ported one can be reached, unless, as is sometimes 
 the case, the pedigree of the native can be traced in 
 one unbroken line of black stock to the imported black 
 breed. I feel safe in saying that a majority of our 
 natives at some point in their ancestry, immediate or 
 remote, are tainted with an off color. 
 
 THE MALTESE. 
 
 About the best known imported jack in America is 
 the Maltese. The older jack men of to-day will re- 
 member that as boys they heard a great deal about 
 the Maltese jacks. They are at least contemporary 
 with, if they do not actually antedate, the Andalusian 
 in their introduction into this country. 
 
 Mr. Pomeroy, one of our earliest authorities, how- 
 ever, on jackology, says that the Knight of Malta pre- 
 sented to General Washington was unquestionably the 
 first of his breed to be introduced into this country; 
 that the second came in the frigate Constitution, from 
 her first cruise in the Mediterranean, and was sold in 
 the District of Columbia ; and that not long afterwards 
 a number were introduced by officers of the navy, 
 from Malta, and that a few very valuable ones were 
 brought over in merchant ships. Certain it is that 
 they became comparatively well known in this country 
 at a very early day, and, until a few years ago, the 
 people seemed to know only two breeds — the broad 
 term of Spanish and Maltese. 
 
 Mr. Pomeroy says that there is no question but 
 that the race is of Arabian origin, more or less degen- 
 erated. They are found on an island in the Mediter- 
 ranean, very far to the south, and belonging, I be- 
 
86 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 lieve, to England. The island of Malta is small in 
 circumference and exceedingly sterile in soil. Dr. 
 Plumlee, who imported from there recently, tells me 
 that the soil in no part is more than a few inches in 
 depth, and that what there is, is a made soil. A few 
 inches below the surface it is a solid rock. Dr. Plum- 
 lee says that the supply of pure-bred jacks there is 
 exceedingly limited; in fact, when he was there and 
 bought eight or ten, and as many more jennets, he did 
 not leave more than one jack on the island that was 
 worth his transportation home. 
 
 They are by nature a smaller jack than any of the 
 Spanish breeds, seldom, if ever, going over fourteen 
 and one-half hands. The average height of those im- 
 ported would not go over fourteen hands, and of 
 course they average smaller on the island. 
 
 Dr. Plumlee has his kind of theory as to their size. 
 It is that as they are found on an island entirely 
 sterile, with little vegetation and inferior grain crops, 
 they naturally grew small, but with proper treatment 
 in this country, plenty of feed and an abundance of 
 pasturage, they will in a few generations attain the 
 desired size. 
 
 They are either black or brown in color, the pure- 
 bred generally inclined to the latter, have good heads 
 and piercing, upright ears, and a great deal of vitality, 
 showing an immense amount of vigor during the 
 breeding season. They are about the gamest and most 
 fiery little jacks that we have, and while some of them 
 have good bone and feet, their limbs have always too 
 much resembled the thoroughbred horse. 
 
 If we rode jacks to war as the ancients were said 
 to have done under Marius, or drove mules to our 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 87 
 
 carriages, as was the custom of the late Queen Isabella 
 of Spain, or in chariot races, as was the custom in the 
 Olympic games five or six hundred years before 
 Christ, then I think the Maltese would be the best, 
 perhaps, of any of the breeds. But none of these 
 things is what the farmer is after. 
 
 We want a powerful draft animal fitted for either 
 the city dray or the cotton or sugar plantation. We 
 have now experimented with the breed for over a 
 hundred years, and he is found to be wanting. He is 
 too small for our purposes. And here I want to men- 
 tion a very important question now facing the breeders 
 of the country, and especially certain portions of it, 
 and which has been made to assume its deserved im- 
 portance by the organization of the American Breed- 
 ers' Association of Jacks and Jennets, and that is. 
 What is the proper or ideal size of the breeding jack 
 or jennet? 
 
 There is a small coterie of breeders in Tennessee, I 
 hope confined to the middle division, who maintain 
 that jennets under fourteen are better breeders than 
 jennets over fourteen hands high, and estimate as 
 worthless the jennet fifteen hands high or over. I 
 am happy to note that the history of the show ring, 
 especially in the great breeding districts of Kentucky, 
 shows that their ideas have never traveled very far 
 away from home, and it is only mentioned because of 
 its effects in the particular section, and because it 
 was intended as an attack on our rules of entry. 
 
 They say they want no overgrown animals. Now, 
 the trouble is that our jennets in Tennessee have at 
 no time been big enough. I agree with the man who 
 says he wants no overgrown animal. What we want 
 
88 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 is a big race of jacks. The jack fifteen hands high 
 out of the twelve and one-half hand jennet is over- 
 grown to a greater extent than is the sixteen hand 
 jack from the fourteen and one-half or fifteen hand 
 jennet. The experience of these men has been this: 
 They own no large jennets, and never did. They 
 sometimes, however, get a large jack in spite of the 
 smallness of their jennets. This jack is overgrown 
 and does not breed up to himself, but reproduces 
 the size of his ancestor. And hence they cry aloud 
 from the housetops and from the public prints, 
 "Don't breed to a big jack." And they are in a 
 measure correct, so far as the big jacks which 
 they raised are concerned. But breed a big jack 
 to a big jennet, and the issue will have as much 
 hardness, style and action, as well as size and the 
 power to transmit all these desirable qualities, as will 
 the small jack to transmit the qualities of himself. In 
 other words, the issue will then be in almost exact 
 proportion. When you meet one of these antiquated 
 fossils, he thinks he has forever silenced you when 
 he asks if you ever saw a sixteen hand jack over ten 
 years old. He might just as well ask you if you ever 
 saw a jaybird on Friday. Their theory is utterly un- 
 tenable. As a race, the big will not produce little, 
 nor will the little produce big, and if established as a 
 race and not as a phenomenon, the big jack will live 
 to just as green an old age as wall the little one. The 
 Percheron is quite as long-lived as is the Shetland 
 pony. Length of life is not measured by the number 
 of inches or of pounds. 
 
 Another important consideration that will apply 
 with double significance to registration in the stud 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MUI.ES 89 
 
 book is this : It has been the experience and observa- 
 tion of mankind for all ages that the offspring in the 
 whole of animal life will, to a greater or less extent, 
 reproduce the characteristics of one, and sometimes 
 of both, their immediate ancestors, and they may even 
 have them in a high degree, though the ancestor pos- 
 sessing them be generations back. It is likewise the 
 observation of the thoughtful that they are quite as 
 likely to inherit them from the dam as they are from 
 the sire, and some even maintain they are more so. 
 Now, may not the colt of the small jennet thirteen 
 hands high which produces a jack fifteen and one-half 
 hands reproduce in turn the size of his dam? Under 
 the rules he is eligible to registry, and pray tell me 
 what credit it would be to him to have his thirteen 
 hand dam registered. And suppose they are small 
 for generations back, would not such registration 
 actually detract from his pedigree when the size would 
 not otherwise appear? The great army of scientific 
 breeders would know at once what to expect of his 
 progeny. 
 
 Still another important question in this connection 
 is that of money. No one raises jacks for the pure 
 and unadulterated love for the business, nor for the 
 fun that is in it, nor yet for the glory and honor, but 
 for that all-important factor, the amount of money 
 they will bring as a reward for the toil, care and labor 
 involved. Now, for the benefit of those just starting 
 in the business, and for those who believe the world 
 reached perfection about the time of their boyhood, 
 and that there is now no such thing as progress, I 
 will affirm what I can easily prove — that the big jack 
 brings the big price, and the Httle jack the little price. 
 
90 BREEDING AND REARING OE 
 
 This state of affairs has not only existed for some- 
 time, but it promises to grow a great deal worse in 
 the future. In handling from one or two importations 
 each year, this, without exception, has been our uni- 
 form experience. Give a man a list of our sales, and 
 he can almost grade the size of the animal by the 
 price. I never knew a jack to bring a large price if 
 under fifteen hands high, and I never knew one to 
 bring a very large price if under fifteen and one-half 
 hands. This is not only our own experience, but our 
 observation in sales of above 200 head each year. 
 The best and most profitable trade is in what are 
 termed jennet jacks, and these must in all cases be 
 large. There is a large demand for such animals. 
 
 THE CATALONIAN. 
 
 The next breed to make its appearance in this coun- 
 try was the Spanish Catalonian. 
 
 After Henry Clay's importation of Andalusians, his 
 son was, I believe, made consul-general to Spain. In 
 any event, he was sent there in the consular or diplo- 
 matic service, and while there sent to his father's 
 Kentucky home an excellent specimen of this breed. 
 So much pleased was Mr. Clay with the jack that a 
 year or two later he imported from the same place 
 a number of others. A picture of one of these orna- 
 ments one of the rooms in the old homestead at Ash- 
 land. 
 
 A few were also imported at this early day into 
 Virginia. Mr. Franklin and others imported to Mid- 
 dle Tennessee long before the war, and purchased 
 another importation that had been landed at Charles- 
 

JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 91 
 
 Ion, S. C. This breed has always been popular, and 
 justly so. For the propagation of mules of a certain 
 quality they are unsurpassed, and those who are en- 
 gaged in rearing them need never fear but that the 
 demand for them will be active and the prices remun- 
 erative. They have many valuable qualities, and among 
 these is that of color. Browns, or rather, sunburned 
 blacks, are frequently seen, but the majority have a 
 very glossy, jet-black coat of short hair that is greatly 
 sought after. Besides they are a jack of good height, 
 varying from fourteen and one-half to fifteen hands, 
 in rare instances reaching sixteen hands. While they 
 have not a large bone, it is a very flat, clean one. Our 
 Kentucky brethren object to them chiefly on the 
 ground that their bone is not large enough; but, I 
 think, this objection would disappear after a few gen- 
 erations on our rich blue grass soil. 
 
 There are few gray jacks in Catalonia. During nu- 
 merous trips there I have never seen more than two 
 or three, and these had doubtless strayed in with 
 their owners from some province farther south. They 
 have been thus bred for ages, and this fixedness of 
 color constitutes a point of much merit in the breed, 
 and is one of the chief reasons why I should prefer 
 breeding a jennet to them than to our native stock. 
 Our jennets in this country are very diverse in color. 
 Grays, blues and mouse-colored are quite numerous. 
 There is no way of so quickly eradicating these off- 
 colors as by the cross indicated. 
 
 It is a law of nature that a color that has been true 
 for ages in an animal will reproduce itself in a cross 
 with stock lacking in pure breeding. The Cleveland 
 bay horse that is stood to a neighbor's mares of varied 
 
92 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 hues will show about ninety per cent of bay foals. 
 It is not uncommon to see grade Holsteins so per- 
 fectly marked as to be undistinguishable from the 
 pure breed. Even though the native jack be black, he 
 may not transmit that color — they are quite as apt to 
 transmit the color of their ancestry, though it be for 
 generations back. 
 
 The Catalonian is a jack of great style and beauty 
 and of superb action, and many are being used in our 
 best jennet herds. I think they are chiefly responsible 
 for the black cross in our native stock. A great num- 
 ber of them are being imported, and I think they will 
 continue the history of their successful past. They 
 derive their name from the section of country in 
 which they are found, this being the northern part of 
 Spain, embracing all the departments known as Cata- 
 lonia. It covers some hundreds of miles in area, ex- 
 tending from the Mediterranean coast to the French 
 side of the Pyrenees, taking in what is known as the 
 Cerdan, which lies both in France and Spain. Al- 
 though they are found in both countries, they are still 
 found only in the mountains of the Pyrenees. They 
 are scattered all over the south of France, bordering 
 the mountains about Toulouse, Tarbes, Pau and else- 
 where. These were, nevertheless, born in their moun- 
 tain fastnesses of the Pyrenees, and were imported as 
 colts to take their places in the stud when they be- 
 came sufficiently old. Many of our best Catalonian 
 jacks that have been imported from France were thus 
 introduced. 
 
 The supply of good jacks in this territory — the 
 Pyrenees — is limited and almost exhausted by the 
 large and increasing importations to America. When 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 93 
 
 they were being imported before the war it was at- 
 tended by great difficulty and danger, public con- 
 veyances and modes of travel difficult, railroads un- 
 known, and society in a rather unsettled condition. 
 Spain was the last of the countries to become safe 
 and pleasant to travel in, and her mountains, extend- 
 ing all over the country, north and south, east and 
 west, afforded admirable places for sheltering brig- 
 ands and robbers. It is a large country, but one can 
 hardly find any part of it that is not in full view of 
 a tall mountain peak, covered by eternal snow. 
 
 The jack had to be brought home in sailing vessels, 
 steamers not then being in use. These were slow and 
 unfitted for the transportation of live stock, unlike 
 our splendid modern steamers, brought about by the 
 immense importations and exports of horses, cattle, 
 etc. When old Mammoth was imported he had to be 
 swung most of the way, which cut into his flesh, I 
 am told, until it was feared his wounds would prove 
 fatal. 
 
 Smce the war, with improved facilities, a great 
 many have been imported to this country, and espe- 
 cially to Tennessee, from which point they have been 
 scattered all over the jack territory of the Union. 
 Those imported are usually from fourteen and one- 
 half to fifteen hands high, though smaller ones have 
 been imported, and some that were considerably 
 larger, in a few rare instances going above sixteen 
 hands. 
 
 The large bone of the Kentucky jack is well known, 
 and is perhaps given by their unsurpassed limestone, 
 blue grass soil. But the Catalonian jack in his bone, 
 we think, is more devoid of flesh, and it is perhaps of 
 
94 BREEDING AND REARING OP 
 
 a finer texture than our native stock, as is the case 
 of the thoroughbred compared to the other breed of 
 horses. They make, therefore, an admirable cross 
 for our native jennets. The imported jennets of this 
 breed may Hkevvise be profitably crossed with the 
 native of proper color and pedigree, avoiding in the 
 selection those in any w^ay related to an off-color. 
 
 For style and action they are possibly unequaled, 
 certainly not surpassed, by any other race. This is 
 noticed with great force, too, in the case of jennets. 
 Our native jennet stock are proverbially dull and 
 lazy; they move about in the most composed manner, 
 with an entire lack of appreciation of modern ideas of 
 ''get up and go." Such a thing as playing in pasture 
 or paddock is far beneath their sense of dignity and 
 decorum, yea, even childlike. Age fastens upon their 
 feelings and spirits long before they reach the re- 
 sponsibilities of being matrons or mistresses. But 
 the imported will play and run about their lot like 
 a colt, and some of them can trot like an embryo 
 Sunol or Maud S. We remember one occasion, when 
 we were driving in a carriage on a government road 
 in France. Our team was a spirited pair of Tarbes 
 horses, with a great deal of the Oriental Arabian 
 blood coursing through their veins. Our driver was 
 no less spirited — a defeated son of France in their late 
 clash with Germany, but who had still enough spirit 
 left to try to pass everything on the road. We saw 
 ahead of us, driving at a smart gait, a man in a two- 
 wheeled vehicle with a fine looking jennet hitched 
 to it. We were at that time buying a few jennets, 
 and ordered our driver to overtake what promised 
 to be a valuable acquisition to our purchase. The 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 95 
 
 man, however, refused to be overtaken, and we drove 
 a full half mile at the limit of our speed before we 
 could come alongside of him. It is needless to say 
 that we purchased the jennet, but the amusing feature 
 of it was that we had purchased the same animal the 
 day before. When rigged up and at full speed in a 
 race there was enough difference to cause us to fail 
 lo recognize her, though my father said he thought 
 she favored one a good deal that he bought the day 
 before. 
 
 One rarely sees a droop-eared one among them, 
 and when one does, it generally has some physical 
 ciuse, such as a hurt in shipping, disease, or some- 
 thing of the kind. 
 
 This race are most excellent breeders, as they have 
 proven in all the jack producing states. Their mules 
 are handsome, quick, active and good sellers, and we 
 have heard it said, though we do not know how this 
 is, that they mature very early. 
 
 All those breeders whose stock run back in their 
 pedigree to the imported ought to state of what breed 
 they were imported. A man with a jennet would 
 not want to breed to a jack running back to the 
 Andalusian, because if she had any disposition that 
 way anyhow she would be pretty apt to throw a gray 
 colt, whereas, if bred to one running back to the Cata- 
 lonian, he would most likely overcome such disposi- 
 tion toward gray. 
 
 THE MAJORCA. 
 
 One of the popular breeds of jacks that have been 
 imported in the last few years is the Majorca. They 
 ar^ imdotibtedly the largest jacks that have been im- 
 
96 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 ported, and have been much sought after for jennet 
 purposes. Their bone is exceedingly large, with a 
 body to correspond. They are black and rarely have 
 that glossy color so admired in the Catalonians, but 
 those I have seen brought to this country will average 
 almost, if not quite, a hand taller than the latter. In 
 Europe they rank about the same, both being re- 
 garded as superior to the Andalusian. We have im- 
 ported all three, and I judge of their rank by their 
 price in Spain. 
 
 Majorca, the largest of the Balearic group of 
 islands, and the one on which these jacks are prit- 
 cipally found, is the richest and most productive pa't 
 of Spain. Although it is an island, I class it with 
 its continental mother, because of its proximity and 
 close communication, and because the jacks there 
 have fallen into the general category of Spanish. It 
 is necessary to irrigate the greater part of the island, 
 but the rich luxuriance of its grass and grain crops 
 gladdens the eye and cheers the heart. I think this 
 is a full explanation of the size of their jacks. This 
 leads me to believe that here in America, by means 
 of our generous system of feeding and unexcelled 
 pastures, and with careful and scientific breeding, we 
 can succeed in a few years in propagating a race of 
 jacks of whatever size and form desired, provided al- 
 ways that we commence with the proper foundation. 
 Majorca, Kentucky, and even Tennessee, illustrate 
 the fact that we can give them an increased size. The 
 poor and sterile plains of Algiers, Africa, have ex- 
 actly the opposite effect of our own rich and alluvial 
 soil. We imported a jennet from there a few years 
 ago, fully mature, and she was little above nine hands 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 97 
 
 high. It has doubtless taken generations to produce 
 an animal in such miniature, but the final effect is 
 none the less inevitable. Nothing will aid the en- 
 deavor to create the best jacks in the world here so 
 much as the late organization of the American 
 Breeders' Association of Jacks and Jennets. By- 
 means of it we need not necessarily breed our stock 
 to the overgrown jack. A careful perusal of the 
 stud book will reveal to us jacks that are large be- 
 cause their size is inherited, and if our jennets should 
 be materially deficient in any especial point, then from 
 this list or race of big jacks let the breeders select 
 the one strongest and most perfect in such deficient 
 point. And when such an animal is found do not 
 hesitate to breed to him regardless of distance or sea- 
 son fee. By such breeding we can raise up a race 
 such as the French have done, in which there are no 
 really cheap or inferior animals. They will be good 
 breeders because they have good breeding. 
 
 The Majorca is not destined to cut any great figure 
 in this country. Their numbers are too limited, and 
 there is no way in which to greatly augment it. The 
 island from which they are imported is small and has 
 been Hterally stripped of its meritorious animals. 
 What few have been brought to this country are now 
 scattered to the four winds of heaven. No jennets 
 have been imported, and in a few years there will not 
 be a pure-bred Majorca in this country, and except 
 for the stud book their name would be only one of 
 history. They have not been in this country long 
 enough to fully demonstrate their worth, but I am of 
 the opinion that they will rank fully up to the Cata- 
 lonian for mules, and, for a large class of our jennets, 
 
9^ BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 surpass them. Their power of reproduction is 
 strongly illustrated by the fact that the Spanish gov- 
 ernment obtains the greater part of her artillery 
 mules from Majorca. And some of these were also 
 obtained a few years ago by the English government 
 for transport service in Egypt and elsewhere. 
 
 As to height, those brought to this country will 
 average about fifteen and one-half hands. They are 
 more uniform in size than the Catalonian, and we 
 believe them to be, all things considered, the largest 
 jacks in existence. 
 
 A good many of the breed have been imported into 
 South America, and at prices that astonished me 
 when I first learned them. Two sold there a few 
 years ago are reported to have gone at the price of 
 $900 each, which, if all expenses are added, makes a 
 pretty good figure for a country considered by us so 
 far in the rear of North American civilization. 
 
 Their heads and ears are enormous and inclined to 
 a bulky appearance. While they have the longest 
 and largest ears of any other race they are not so erect 
 and piercing as the Catalonian, nor have they the 
 style and action of this breed ; in fact, they may be 
 said to incline to sluggishness. 
 
 If the Catalonian be likened to the French coach 
 horse or the Cleveland bay, the Majorca would be a 
 Percheron or a Shire. 
 
 There is certainly no purer race of jacks in Spain 
 than the Majorca. As far back as 1825 Mr. Pome- 
 roy, in an essay before the Maryland Agricultural 
 Society, said : ''So much have been the ravages of 
 war and anarchy in Spain for a long time past that 
 the fine race of jacks that country once possessed has 
 
JACKS, JENNKTS AND MUI.ES 99 
 
 become almost extinct. In Majorca, however, and 
 probably some parts of the coast of Spain opposite, 
 the large breed may yet be obtained in its purity." 
 
 It is easily understood why the race should be the 
 purest of any of the Spanish breeds. The line divid- 
 ing Andalusia and Catalonia is an imaginary one, 
 and along the border there is necessarily a more or 
 less commingling of the breeds among the people, 
 who at no time have given their time and attention 
 to scientific or even very careful breeding; and of 
 course a large part of both countries must be effected 
 by the kind of stock bred by the other. This is all 
 the more probable, too, as no value whatever is placed 
 upon color. They like a white just as well as a black, 
 and would not reduce a dollar on a jack if he should 
 happen to be green. But Majorca is an isolated island 
 two or three hundred miles from the coast of Spain, 
 and is inhabited by a people satisfied to do as their 
 fathers did before them, and who likewise, as is often 
 the case, think that what they have is better than what 
 anyone else has. It is hardly likely, therefore, that 
 they would go to the expense of bringing across the 
 seas any foreign blood. As a rule the jack breeders 
 of Spain are not a class who have the means to im- 
 port, or the information that would lead to it. 
 
 To our people — I mean those engaged in the stock 
 breeding business — their lack of information is as- 
 tonishing to the last degree. Go to a progressive 
 breeder in this country, of whatever kind of stock, 
 and he can give with a fair degree of accuracy the 
 location and, perhaps, the ownership, of the larger 
 half of his kind of stock in the state. But in Spain 
 one section is as profoundly ignorant of what is in 
 
lOO BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 another section as he is of the Fiji Islands or Stan- 
 ley's ''Darkest Africa." 
 
 THE ITALIAN. 
 
 It is not necessary to say very much about the jacks 
 of Italy, but a good many have been imported lately, 
 and it seems proper that the people should know 
 enough of them not to be led away by the seductive 
 term, imported, and who at the same time will not 
 discredit all jacks because they are imported. 
 
 They are found almost everywhere in Italy, where 
 little or no attention is paid to the breed. They are 
 principally used for packing purposes, and are the 
 smallest of any of the breeds imported. The moving 
 cause of their importation was their cheapness. They 
 were bought for a song, and in most cases had to 
 be sold for another song, with little or no profit to 
 the dealer. For this reason we have perhaps seen the 
 last of them. 
 
 Occasionally they may be found to reach fourteen 
 hands, but they rarely, if ever, get to be taller than 
 this. Those brought to this country, and they were 
 the pick of Italy, ranged from about thirteen to four- 
 teen hands, were generally black (though grays are 
 not uncommon), and had rather large bones and good 
 weight of body. Many of them were practically use- 
 less as mule jacks, having doubtless been raised up 
 with jennets. We saw a five-year-old that was im- 
 ported into Tennessee that positively refused under 
 any circumstances to fall in love with a mare, and 
 that ran out in the pasture with a herd of jennets 
 without harm either to him or them. I saw another 
 lot of four or five, only one of which could be in- 
 

 
 £1 
 
 O w 
 
 J! « 
 
 I s 
 
 > H 
 
 :5 -c 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES lOI 
 
 duced to fulfill the end for which nature seems to 
 have adapted them, and that only after a long and 
 tedious use of a jennet. For the mare herself he 
 cared no more than he did for the negro groom who 
 held her. This is all the more unfortunate, because 
 they are entirely too small to use with jennets. 
 
 We have heard it said, though we are not willing 
 to vouch for its accuracy, that they have not proven 
 themselves in this country to be satisfactory breeders. 
 We are rather inclined to think that with a mare of 
 merit they would sire a fairly good but small mule. 
 We have seen a few carloads of handsome little mules 
 from Italy, ranging from fourteen to fourteen and 
 one - half hands, and of good form and color. We 
 know nothing of the class of mares producing them. 
 
 I believe them to be inferior to, but at the same 
 time descended from, the Maltese. They have many 
 points of resemblance, and are sufficiently close to- 
 gether for such to be the case; or else the Maltese 
 may be descended from the Italian. 
 
 I will add, in conclusion, that sometimes they are 
 quite vicious (this is one of the points of resem- 
 blance), and in one instance, to our personal knowl- 
 edge, a groom was hurt by one of them by being so 
 severely bitten on the arm as to confine him to his 
 bed for some weeks. It is our observation that small 
 jacks are more apt to develop vicious propensities 
 than large ones, but it will do to keep one's eyes open 
 on any of them. 
 
 THE POITOU. 
 
 The last of the distinctive breeds of jacks to be 
 imported to this country were the Poitou. Their 
 
I02 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 early history is most entertaining. They are to be 
 found in what is known as the granary of France — 
 in the richest and most fertile part of that most fertile 
 of all countries. They are found throughout the 
 province of Poitou, but more especially in the de- 
 partments of La Vendee and Deux-Sevres. In olden 
 times (they are mentioned in French literature as 
 early as 1016) France was not divided up as now 
 into small farms and plantations, but was owned in 
 large bodies by rich lords and noblemen. These had 
 their tenants by the hundreds, and most of them kept 
 a number of live stock, especially a few mares for 
 farm work, etc. On account of the price of good 
 jacks and the cost of labor, etc., in standing them, 
 it became the custom of the proprietors to provide 
 this for their tenants. Europe was at that time in 
 continual war, and this required vast armies in the 
 field; consumption of agricultural products was enor- 
 mous, the profits of the farm great, but tenants to 
 till it scarce. The tenant, therefore, having a choice, 
 naturally selected the place offering the greatest in- 
 ducements. An important one of these was the 
 breeding animals, and hence among these rich land- 
 lords there was much rivalry as to the merits of their 
 different studs ; and being in command of large 
 wealth and abundant leisure, their breeding estab- 
 lishments, even at an early day, reached the highest 
 degree of perfection attainable by the lavish expendi- 
 ture of money and the most careful and scientific 
 breeding. Perhaps this may account for the univer- 
 sally high esteem in which the French Poitou jack is 
 held all over the southern part of the continent of 
 Europe. No jacks are used in the north. This was 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MTJI^ES IO3 
 
 their start, and for all these years the constant and 
 unabated care of their breeders has been to maintain 
 their distinctive characteristics, the purity of their 
 blood, and to augment their merits. Only think of 
 what may be accomplished by man in the course of 
 a few centuries with the proper effort! 
 
 In 1866 Mr. Eugene Ayrault, of Niort, France, 
 published a volume on the Poitou jack. I am sorry 
 that it has never been translated. It is a book of 
 high order of merit, and was awarded a gold medal 
 by the Society of Agriculture in France. I would 
 prefer giving his to my own description of these 
 jacks, because he is the best obtainable authority on 
 this subject. He says: 
 
 "His head is enormous in size, and is very much 
 larger than that of any other race in existence. His 
 mouth is smaller than that of the horse; teeth small, 
 but the enamel exceedingly hard. The opening of 
 the nostril is narrow, the ear very long, and adorned 
 with long, curly hair, called cadanette, which is much 
 esteemed by breeders. 
 
 *'It is said that animals with the longest bodies pro- 
 duce the best mules, and this is greatly looked to. 
 The tail is rather short, and furnished with long hair 
 at its extremity only. The chest is very broad, and 
 the belly voluminous. The shoulders are short; the 
 muscles of the forearm long, but not very thick. 
 The knees are exceedingly large, as are all the joints. 
 The chestnuts, or horny places near the knees, are 
 large and well developed. The abundance of hair 
 which covers the jack constitutes one of the most 
 sought-for qualities. The animals are called well- 
 taloned and well-moustached when they have these 
 qualities in a high degree. 
 
I04 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 "The mane is long and fine, the skin smooth, the 
 hair fine and silky in texture. We give great pref- 
 erence to large feet, for which this breed is noted. 
 The skin is almost universally black or dark brown. 
 The gray jack, though seldom met, is rejected by 
 good mule breeders. The animals which have the 
 end of the nose black and whose bodies are wholly 
 of this color are said to be lacking in breeding. The 
 skin and coating of the jack is very important, and 
 it is thought that the mules from a jack superior in 
 this respect mature earlier." 
 
 Such is Mr. Ayrault's description of them. I will 
 add that these jacks are physically the most power- 
 ful of any race in existence ; they have greater weight 
 and more bone and substance generally. They are 
 not exceedingly tall, their legs being extremely short, 
 but in a cross with a mare of fair size the mule will 
 be found to have all the height desired. The first 
 impression one gains of a Poitou is not a favorable 
 one. They are never trimmed or groomed in Poitou, 
 and we are not accustomed to their long hair and 
 bulky appearance. It gives them the appearance of 
 being too short in the neck and ear; but this is a 
 matter of education. 
 
 The demand for these jacks is such that it cannot 
 be supplied, and even French breeders in certain parts 
 of the country are forced to use the Catalonian and 
 Majorca, though they acknowledge the superiority 
 of the Poitou. Their price is enough to stagger one. 
 Mr. Ayrault says that $i,ooo to $1,200 is ordinary, 
 while $2,000 for a single animal is not uncommon. 
 I am in receipt of a letter from a friend of mine in 
 France, who writes me that a three-year-old Poitou 
 
JACKS, JKNNETS AND MUI,ES 105 
 
 that was exhibited at the late Paris Exposition was 
 sold to a South American gentleman for the sum of 
 $3,200. In our own limited experience there we have 
 been made to pay as high as $1,500 for a two-year-old 
 colt. 
 
 Without disparaging the merits of any other breed, 
 for we have the sincerest admiration for some of 
 them, the fact remains that the mules from the Poitou 
 are the largest, heaviest and best to be seen in Europe. 
 I may add, too, that this is accepted as a fact in all 
 mule breeding countries of the continent. 
 
 A very large number of Poitou mules are imported 
 each year to Spain, notably to their chief city, Bar- 
 celona, where they outsell their own native stock. 
 The large firm of San Marti & Sons have been thus 
 importing to that city for years. They supply mules 
 both to the government and to individuals. The 
 senior member of the firm has assisted in the purchase 
 of some of the best jacks that have been imported to 
 this country from Catalonia. For heavy work he 
 has expressed the opinion to the writer that the Poitou 
 mules were unequaled by any race of horses or any 
 other breed of mules. It is true that the mares found 
 in Catalonia are not everything that could be desired. 
 They are, perhaps, better in the south of Spain, but 
 hardly the thing yet for mule breeding, being Spanish 
 barbs, perhaps introduced by the Moors when in pos- 
 session of the country, and continental importations 
 from the Orient. Hence the mules, while they are 
 handsome and active, lack the weight and body re- 
 quired. 
 
 The mares to be found in Poitou are neither the 
 Norman draft nor the Percheron, but are a large, 
 
I06 BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 broad-backed, heavy-bodied, powerful race that seem 
 especially adapted to mule breeding. The test of the 
 jack breeds, therefore, is in France. The Poitou, as 
 has been before mentioned, are not sufficient in num- 
 ber to fulfill the demand in their own country, and 
 hence there are hundreds of the Spanish jacks im- 
 ported there for use in the stud. We have seen the 
 Poitou and the Catalonian in the same establishment — 
 the owner possessing the very best specimens of the 
 latter. The Poitou here fairly maintains his ascen- 
 dancy, and his mules outsell the Spanish breed. 
 
 The Count of Exea, who maintains at Tournay the 
 most magnificent breeding establishment that we have 
 ever visited, keeps two very remarkable specimens 
 of this breed for use solely on his own mares. One 
 of them is fifteen and one-half hands, and the other, 
 a three-year-old past, is fifteen and three-quarters 
 hands. This is a remarkable height for the breed, 
 as they usually range from fourteen and one-half to 
 fifteen hands, rarely growing taller. The fifteen and 
 one-half hand jack was so immense in all his pro- 
 portions that we measured his knee, hind hock, belt, 
 length of ears, etc., in order to see if our vision was 
 deceived by appearances, and after we had left and 
 applied the measure to other animals we concluded 
 that both our eyes and tape were wrong, so huge did 
 his measure appear. The count says he gave $2,000 
 for this jack, and upon our inquiring of him how 
 he could afford to keep so valuable an animal for 
 mares only, he carried us into his barn — a grand 
 structure that has cost a mint of money — and there 
 showed us about one hundred and fifty mule colts, 
 one and two years of age. When I saw the mules 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 107 
 
 I could readily see how he could afford to use the 
 jack. Owning all the mules, twenty-five or thirty 
 dollars on the head, is an easy demonstration of how 
 a man can afford to use the best jack obtainable, re- 
 gardless of the money he costs. An easier query 
 would be how could he afford to use an inferior or 
 even an ordinary one, his capital enabling him to 
 obtain the best. 
 
 The count also had some jennets, but because they 
 were of kin, or because he was afraid of their effect 
 on the jack, or because he thought he knew of one 
 that would nick better with them, he did not breed 
 to his own jacks but shipped them to M. Sago's, near 
 Niort, France, a distance of at least one hundred and 
 fifty miles. 
 
 I mention these things only because I hope they 
 may be of value in teaching two important truths 
 and eliminate at least one popular error. One is, 
 that you cannot get a jack too good for mule breed- 
 ing. For this purpose many think that one jack, if 
 he is a fair looker, will do about as well as another 
 or a better one. But the true theory is, get the best 
 if you can, and in breeding mares the difference in 
 the value of the colt, between a good and a bad sire, 
 will be perhaps three or four times the difference in 
 price of service fees. 
 
 Another lesson is, that in this country, where is 
 raised the finest and best jack stock on earth, or if 
 that is contradicted, it can be said without fear of 
 successful contradiction, the highest priced jack stock 
 on earth, the people do not hesitate to ship hundreds 
 of miles to breed their jennets to that animal that 
 suits them best, even though they may have good 
 
I08 BREEDING AND REARING OP 
 
 ones at home. The general rule in America is to 
 breed to the one most convenient. 
 
 It may be of interest in this connection to note the 
 value of the mule business in Poitou. I have no 
 statistics later than 1866, since which time the coun- 
 try has prospered, and this business has increased 
 in equal or greater proportion to others. This prov- 
 ince is hardly larger than one of our American coun- 
 ties, and we do not mean a Texas county, either, and 
 yet in the year 1866, fifty thousand mares were bred 
 to jacks, and the yearly export of young mules 
 amounted to between two and three millions of dol- 
 lars. This industry there, for profit, is without an 
 equal in agriculture. 
 
 I will add, that the French were the first in the 
 field to establish a jack stock stud book, and the 
 Poitou are the only breed having their own distinctive 
 stud book, in which no other breed is eligible to enter. 
 It has been established some years, and the rules 
 governing entries are stricter than those of our 
 American organization. Like ours, gray animals are 
 not eligible. A thing that is superior to the Amer- 
 ican book is this: No test is made of height, but a 
 complete committee examines each animal sought 
 to be registered ; this committee passes upon the jack 
 and recommends or condemns, upon his merit and 
 pedigree alone. He might be sixteen hands high 
 and yet reflect no credit upon the organization, not- 
 withstanding a good pedigree and color; or he might 
 be lower than the average good jack and yet be so 
 superior in weight, bone, form and style as to place 
 him in the first rank of breeding jacks. But to fol- 
 low this plan requires money, a thing with which a 
 
JACKS, JENNKTS AND MUI,KS IO9 
 
 new society is never burdened. This committee re- 
 gards many other things of equal importance to 
 height, and pedigree is made to play a much more 
 important part than with us. 
 
 As confirmatory of what I have said of this breed, 
 I note the following from A. B. Allen, in the New 
 York Tribune, and copied in the Farmer's Home Jour- 
 nal, of Louisville. After speaking of other breeds, 
 and their introduction into this country, he says: 
 
 'The Poitou is the most perfectly formed of all 
 American jacks imported; not so tall as the Majorca, 
 but more powerful for his inches, with greater weight, 
 more bone and superior muscle. The ordinary stock 
 is held in France at $1,000 to $1,500 each, and the 
 choicer ones command $2,000 to $3,000. The prices 
 are so high as to almost forbid importation. His 
 mules are unequaled, and sell on an average from 
 fifty to one hundred per cent higher than the get of 
 any other jack. This makes it profitable to breed 
 from him, even at the high price he costs. The breed- 
 ers of Poitou have a stud book for the record of their 
 stock, so there can be no mistake as to purity. Their 
 mules which I saw in Switzerland were the finest 
 and most powerful of any class that has come under 
 my observation. I was informed that their French 
 dams were of the Percheron or common farm stock 
 or their grades, which helped to give to their off- 
 spring greater size and power, together with superior 
 form. There are large numbers of mares now in the 
 United States, half and three-quarter grades of the 
 French, Scotch and English breeds of draft stallions. 
 These mares, in size and quality, are equal to the 
 French, and may be bred to jacks with great advan-' 
 
no BREEDING AND REARING OF 
 
 tage. Their mules would be heavy enough for the 
 heaviest farm and road work, and some few single 
 ones would be able to pull alone in a city dray, or a 
 pair of them the heavy four-wheeled city trucks. I 
 am confident that as soon as such mules could be 
 placed in market they would be of quicker sale, and 
 at higher prices than horses, for they are less liable 
 to disease, hardier, longer-lived, and, it is contended, 
 consume less food for the work done. Our breeders 
 should not hesitate to go into this business to the full 
 extent of their ability, for they could not probably 
 be able to produce mules enough to meet the demand 
 even at high prices for fifty years." 
 
 PERFECTION. 
 
 Perfection was foaled May 2'j, 1891. He has the 
 finest bone, head and ear of any colt we known — Roman 
 head, finest of style ; and took all the premiums in her 
 class at the many Middle Tennessee fairs, to wit : Mur- 
 freesboro, Columbia, Lewisburg, Fayetteville, and 
 Pulaski ; and a number of other fairs in Kentucky. She 
 has never entered a ring without a ribbon. She has 
 been exhibited twenty-five times and took twenty-five 
 blue ribbons. She took the premium at the World's 
 Fair, Chicago, in 1893, also at the State Fair, at Nash- 
 ville, 1893. Is in foal to Day Star (22). She is pro- 
 nounced by jack men to be the best colt ever seen in 
 Middle Tennessee. Sired by Long Tom, fifteen hands, 
 three inches ; he by Ezell's Big Tom, Jr. ; he by F. R. 
 Rains' Big Tom, Sr. ; he by McGavock Bossy ; he by 
 Imp. Black Forrest, Long Tom's first dam by F. R. 
 Rains' Black Mammoth, and she out of an imported 
 
JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES III 
 
 jennet. Lecona dam the dam of Old Starlight by 
 Ezell's Big Tom, Jr., his dam Ezell's Old Ann. Per- 
 fection's first dam is a fourteen hand jennet, sired by 
 Free Dave, known as the Snell jack ; her dam by Dr. 
 Knight's Knight Errant, and her dam was Mammoth. 
 Price $1,250. 
 
 The above jennet. Perfection, is owned by Messrs. 
 I. W. and J. L. Jones, proprietors of Daisy Stock 
 Farm, and registered jacks and jennets, Maury 
 County, Tennessee. Persons wishing to exhibit stock 
 at the World's Fair at St. Louis, Mo., in 1903, can con- 
 fer with Hon. J. L. Jones, Sr., Columbia, Tenn., who 
 is one of the executive committee, and will represent 
 the interests of the South in jacks, jennets and mules. 
 
 [The author regrets his inability to procure photo- 
 graphs of the Andalusian, Maltese and Italian jacks 
 for this book.] 
 
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