FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 411 



under varying conditions as to height of wheels, width of tires, macadam, 

 gravel and dirt roads, in all conditions, and on meadows, pastures, cul- 

 tivated fields, stubble land, etc. The results of many of these details 

 have just been published in bulletin form by the Station. The draft was 

 determined by means of a Giddings self-recording dynomometer. The net 

 load and in every case the same, viz., 2,000 pounds. Three sets of wheels 

 of different heights, all with six-inch tires, were used as flolows: Stand- 

 ard front wheels forty-four inches, rear wheels fifty-five inches. Medium, 

 front wheels thirty-six inches, rear wheels 40 inches. Low, front wheels 

 twenty-four inches, rear wheels twenty-eight inches. Without going into 

 the details of the trials contained in the bulletin, for want of space, we 

 quote the following summary given by the author, Mr. T. L Mairs, assist- 

 ant in agriculture: 



First — For the same load, wagons with wheels of standard height 

 drew lighter than those with lower wheels. 



Second — The difference in favor of the standard wheels was greater 

 on road surface in bad condition than on good road surfaces. 



Third — Low wheels cut deeper ruts than those of standard height. 



Fourth — The vibration of the tongue is greater in wagons with low 

 wheels. 



Fifth — For most purposes wagons with low wheels are more conven- 

 ient than those of standard height. 



Sixth — Wagons with broad tires, and wheels of standard height, are 

 cumbersome and require much room in turning. 



Seventh — Diminishing the height of wheels from thirty-six to thirty- 

 five inches in front and forty-four to forty inches in the rear did not 

 increase the draft in as great proportion as it increased the convenience 

 of loading and unloading the ordinary farm freight. 



Eighth — Diminishing the height of wheels below thirty inches front 

 and forty inches rear increased the draft in greater proportion than it 

 gained in convenience. 



Ninth — On good roads, increasing the length of rear axle so that 1:he 

 front and rear wheels will run in different tracks to avoid cutting nits, 

 did not increase the draft. 



Tenth — On sod, cultivated ground and bad roads wagons with the 

 rear axle longer than the front one drew heavier than one having both 

 axles of the same length. 



Eleventh — Wagons with the rear axles longer . than the front ones 

 require wider gateways and more careful drivers, and are on the whole 

 very inconvenient and not to be recommended for farm use. 



Twelfth — The best form of farm wagon is one with axles of equal 

 length, broad tires, and wheels thirty to thirty-six inches high in front 

 and forty to forty-four inches behind. 



A knowledge of the above facts is important to farmers who are 

 desirous of doing the best work with their wagons and at the same time 

 conserving the energy of their teams. 



