270 Our Farming. 



on the basis figured above ? Eight cords at fifty cents a cord gave 

 $4. That would do. But had I worked on in the old way, 

 whining about wood being so low, I might have kept on till I 

 was gray without making anything. In three or four days I had 

 paid for the sideboards from the extra money made. After a 

 time I got more horses and another and longer wagon on which 

 I could with care throw two and one-half cords of stove wood. 

 These two wagons have been in constant use on the farm even 

 since, often with these sideboards on. They enable one to put on 

 a large load without having it very high up of such articles as pota- 

 toes, bags of grain, bran in particular, corn in the ear, stove wood, 

 sawdust, etc. Look at the picture, engraved from a photograph, 

 of these very wagons that we have used so long. You see, a man 

 can easily empty in a bushel of potatoes, and on the smaller wagon 

 we have often drawn two tons of potatoes to the depot at a load 

 sixty -seven bushels. Unless there are springs under the wagon, 

 however, the road must be very smooth to carry so many. They 

 can be piled on, the top of wagon is so wide, and will go all right 

 on a smooth road for a little ways. The first time I went on a 

 long trip with such a load, though, I found they would roll off 

 after a little. Bolster springs prevent it. Some of my success in 

 market came from my using springs and piling my load up very 

 high in the middle. They showed off to good advantage. A 

 small load, shook down in a lumber wagon by a long trip, although 

 as good potatoes, look 20 per cent, poorer, and looks help one 

 about selling. When a grocer sees people crowding around a fine 

 load of potatoes, it is quite an advertisement for him to come right 

 out and buy them while the crowd is around. This is a string I 

 have pulled quite a little. And I used to have my wagon nicely 

 varnished as well as painted, and washed clean, and a good canvas 

 cover. Then when I got near the city, I would take this off and 

 fix up my load and drive in slowly with the potatoes piled up high 

 in the middle, so every one could see them, and the very large 

 load helped draw attention, too. So I was getting potatoes to market 

 faster and getting more for them, too. 



I have tried several kinds of bolster springs. They are not 

 very satisfactory, although they answered my purpose pretty 

 well. If drawing to market now I would get a good platform 

 spring wagon. Now, let me describe the pictures. The photo- 

 graph of wagons shows them with sideboards on. These side- 

 boards are portable ; that is, can be taken off or put on in a min- 

 ute. They just slip right on and lift right off. I wanted them 

 so because we want to change often and cannot afford to waste 

 any time. To have fastened them on the box would have been a 

 simple matter ; but to arrange them so they could be put on or 

 off in one minute, and still be strong enough to carry two tons, 

 and light enough for one man to handle, required some study. 

 Fig. i shows a side view of one sideboard taken off. The right 



