88 FARM MECHANICS 



Although the old familiar horsepower has been 

 greatly outclassed, it has not been discarded. There 

 are many small horsepowers in use for elevating grain, 

 baling hay, cutting straw for feed and bedding, grind- 

 ing feed and other light work where engine power is 

 not available. 



WATER-POWER 



Water-power is the most satisfactory of all kinds of 

 stationary farm power, when a steady stream of water 

 may be harnessed to a good water-wheel. It is not a 

 difficult engineering feat to throw a dam across a small 

 stream and take the water out into a penstock to sup- 

 ply water to a turbine water-wheel. In the first place 

 it is necessary to measure the flow of water to deter- 

 mine the size of water-wheel which may be used to ad- 

 vantage. In connection with the flow of water it is also 

 important to know the fall. Water is measured by 

 what is termed a " weir. ' ' It is easily made by cutting 

 an oblong notch in a plank placed across the stream, as 

 a temporary dam which raises the water a few inches 

 to get a steady, even flow of water through the notch 

 so that calculations may be made in miner's inches. 

 The term ' ' miner 's inch ' ' is not accurate, but it comes 

 near enough for practical purposes. Measuring the 

 volume of water should be done during a dry time in 

 summer. 



The fall of the stream is easily measured by means 

 of a carpenter 's level and a stake. The stake is driven 

 into the ground at a point downstream where water 

 may be delivered to the wheel and a tailrace established 

 to the best advantage. Sighting over the level to a 

 mark on the stake will show the amount of fall. When 

 a manufacturer of water-wheels has the amount of wa- 



