Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1910 — MEXICO WANTS MULES. [ARTICLE]

MEXICO WANTS MULES.

DlßralllM of the Vrr» Cnu Farmer OVer Floe lad nerniea I One of the chief problems for the farmer In Vera Crus is the transportation of his crops to market, his pro- - dace paying always a heavy tribute in the way of freight before it gets to the consumer, according to Daily Consular and Trade Reports. The heavy cost is due to the rugged, broken character of the country and the deep mud. which naturally makes It difficult and expensive U* handle freight Wagon roads

cannot be built skve at enormous cost. The railroads furnish transportation at fair rates to those situated on their lines, but for the producer off the lines of railroads the mule is the only hope of getting out his corn or coffee, or whatever crop he may raise. . It naturally results that there Is a constant deipahd far good mules all over the State, by both freighters and planters, at gtood and even high prices. Very few mules are bred in the State, and the supply is brought almost entirely from the interior of the country. Last yeai ninety were brought from the United States for the city Of Vera Cruz alone. Freight charges, if they are shipped by rail, or driving expenses when they are brought in on foot, add very considerably to the price of mules. An unbroken 3or 4 year old commands on an average not far from 1125 Mexican money (one Mexican dollar or peso equals 49.8 cents). It seems strange, therefore, in view of the constant demand and good prices paid, that no 'attempt has been made to raise mules Tor the market. For the breeding of mules land can be secured in large bodies at $lO to sls Mexican money an acre. The industry can best be carried on in connection with cattle raising, as mules cannot be run on the low swampy lands on which cattle do spldhdidly. On a plantation the higher levels not subject to inundation can be utilized for mules during the rainy season, and during the dry season they can run on all the lands of the coast and foothill regions. Made pastures are necessary to insure an abundance of feed during the year, but no shelter or grain is required at any season of. the year. It might be well to provide large sheds to give shelter during excessively wet weather, but this Is not absolutely necessary.