First published in London in 1842, then edited with additions for an American copy by John Stuart Skinner who added his "Essay On The Ass And Mule". Skinner's Father had actually bred some of his jennets to George Washington's large, imported jacks. The problem is that Skinner relies on the 1825 "Prize Winning" essay on the mule written by Samuel Wyllys Pomeroy, who in turn had depended upon information provided to him by G. W. P. Custis, George Washington's step-grandson. Custis related information that is total poppycock when it comes to the history of GW's jacks. So, if you want true historical data on these jacks and early mule production in the colonies, you must look elsewhere. Skinner was a proponent of the mule as was S. W. Pomeroy, and for that I thank them, but it is too bad that they depended upon such a blowhard as Custis for historical information, that has now been regurgitated for almost 200 years!