OF ROADS. 5 



from fifty to five hundred yards, in proportion to the ex- 

 tent of his possession, and a stipulation to that effect might 

 be no improper clause in his lease. The roads, even on a 

 large farm, would thus be almost insensibly gone over, and 

 its value would thus be materially increased. 



It is impossible, however, that any improvement can be 

 made on the roads of the kingdom, unless broad wheels are 

 adopted ; and it will appear from the following communi- 

 cations, that they are as well calculated for farming, as for 

 other purposes. 



The Honourable Baron Hepburn informs me, that 

 broad wheels are now introduced into East-Lothian, and that 

 their use is spreading fast in that district, though the hus^ 

 bandry servants, like their brethren in other counties, are 

 much attached to ancient habits and usages, and averse to 

 the introduction of new improvements. The Baron first 

 used them for drawing turnips, and leading off stones from 

 new-sown cut grass, but he had lately occasion to send his 

 carts for some flags from the sea-shore, and as these flags 

 were heavy and unwieldy, all his carts, including his broad- 

 wheeled ones, were sent, to give a sufficient power of men 

 to load them ; and as the road up the beech was steep, and 

 through a dry and deep sand, it required three horses to 

 bring up each cart to the top of that beach, although two 

 horses brought the loaded cart home from that point. It 

 was soon found, that the broad wheels rolled, and did not 

 sink in the sand, and the loaded carts with broad wheels, 

 were brought up with infinitely less fatigue or exertion to 

 the horses. The servants immediately became converts to 

 the utility and advantage of broad wheels, insomuch, that 

 those who generally worked these broad-wheeled carts, re-? 

 sisted and reluctantly yielded the use of those carts to their 

 fellow-servants, when ordered to use them in carrying pc- 

 tatoes from the field. The result was, that the Baron has 



VOL. I. E 



