ON DRAUGHT. 443 



A waggon wifn part of the floor and body cut away, so as to form a sort 

 of recess for the front wheel to turn into, allows of all the movements tha^ 

 can be acquired, except in the crowded streets of a town, and by this 

 arrangement there is nothing to prevent the front wheel being made of 

 large diameter, as in the case just described. Our present object, however, 

 is not to enter into a detailed description of how we should build a waggon, 

 but simply to recommend the use of large front wheels, as tending much 

 to diminish the draught. An intelligent wheelwright will always know 

 how to construct a waggon so as to admit of this. 



The consideration of the subject of the wheels naturally includes that of 

 (he comparative advantages of two-wheeled and four-wheeled carriages. 

 Upon this point opinions differ as much as upon any of those we have 

 already considered; and we fear that we are not likely to do more than 

 to arrange the different opinions given by others, without advancing 

 any of our own. If we succeed, however, in doing this clearly, we shall 

 have done much, because we may thus enable each individual to separate 

 those arguments which apply particularly to his own case; and combining 

 these opinions with his own judgment, he will be more likely to arrive at a 

 just conclusion, than if he were altogether unaided by the opinions and 

 experience of others. 



The advocates of light two-wheeled carts assert that a horse working 

 alone is capable of performing more work than when forming one of a 

 team; and that in consequence of this increased effect, there is a saving of 

 expense nearly in the proportion of three to two, or one-third. 



The advocates for waggons assert, on the contrary, tiiat it requires that 

 each horse in a single-horse cart should be of a superior quality, and, 

 therefore, more expensive than those of a team, where the average power 

 only is considered ; that the wear and tear, first cost, and expense of attend- 

 ance of several small carts, is greater than that of a waggon carrying the 

 same load, and that in consequence there is an economy obtained by the 

 latter in a proportion of four to three. 



Numbers of facts and the results of long experience are adduced on either 

 side, all of which convey much useful information, and the substance of 

 the whole appears to be, that with light single-horse two-wheeled carts, 

 good horses are able to draw greater loads, and do more work in proportion 

 than a waggon team ; that these carts are easier loaded and unloaded, do 

 less injury to the roads, and that they do not require more horses in action 

 than are sufficient for the work to be performed. 



On the other hand, it is found that the horses must be stronger and better 

 fed; that being entirely dependent on their own exertions, although doing 

 more work, they are more fatigued and sooner knocked up; that on rough 

 roads they are liable to be shaken and injured by the sudilen movements 

 and shocks of the cart, all of which are conveyed by the shafts directly to 

 the horse ; that in ascending or descending hills the whole weight being 

 above the axle-tree, it destroys the balance, and is thrown too much upon 

 the horse in the former case, or tends to raise him from the ground in the 

 latter, which, even if any alteration of the balance be found advantageous, 

 is exactly the contrary of what would be necessary. 



That with a waggon, the average power of several horses is obtained, 

 horses of inferior quality may therefore be used; they are not so much 

 'atigued, because by relieving each other they can alternately exert them- 

 selves or relax. Greater loads can be carried with less attendance of 

 drivers, and they are less liable to accidents; they are easier withdrawn 

 from any b'^le, or forced over any obstruction, because only half the load 



