CHAPTER VII 



FAKM CONVEYANCES 



STONE-BOAT 



One of the most useful and one of the least orna- 

 mental conveyances on a farm is the stone-boat. It is 

 a low-down handy rig for moving heavy commodities 

 in summer as well as in winter. No other sleigh or 

 wagon will equal a stone-boat for carrying plows or 



Figure 158. Stone-Boat. Stump logs are selected for the planks. 

 The bend of the planks is the natural curve of the large roots. The 

 sawing is done by band saw cutting from two directions. 



harrows from one field to another.. It is handy to tote 

 bags of seed to supply the grain drill, to haul a barrel 

 of water, feed for the hogs, and a great many other 

 chores. 



When the country was new, sawmills made a business 

 of sawing stone-boat plank. Trees for stone-boat staves 

 were cut close to the ground and the natural crooks of 

 the roots were used for the noses of sleigh runners and 

 for stone-boats. But cast-iron noses are now manufac- 

 tured with recesses to receive the ends of straight ordi- 

 nary hardwood planks. These cast-iron ends are 



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