6S OF ROADS. 



break up, and burn his old narrow wheels. He does not 

 think that they will do, where roads have been deeply rutted 

 by old narrow wheels, unless great care is taken to avoid 

 the ruts ; but he is satisfied, that equal weights can be car- 

 ried with them, and probably greater. They do not shake 

 the horses on rough roads like the wheels with bent axles, 

 and consequently are easier drawn. The weight of the 

 wheels and axle is about 5 cwt. 32 Ib. Common wheels, 

 with iron axles, weigh six or seven stones less. The body 

 of the cart weighs 3 cwt. 16 Ib. With these wheels, he car- 

 ries about 15 cwt. in single-horse carts, but if the roads 

 were without pulls, a greater weight might be taken. He 

 is determined, that all his farm wheels shall be of that de- 

 scription ; he considers them to be the greatest improve- 

 ment in agricultural machinery, since the invention of the 

 th rc-fih ing-mill; and he conceives that every month's delay, 

 that takes place in the general adoption of them, produces 

 a great national loss. 



Mr Morton states, that the broad cylindrical wheel, be- 

 sides the advantages it possesses upon a good road, or 

 causeway, is also more easily drawn over a new-metalled or 

 gravelled road, than the common narrow wheel, in conse- 

 quence of its having no tendency to remove, or disturb, the 

 materials, having only the effect of levelling those stones 

 which stand highest, and thereby rendering the whole more 

 compact and smooth ; whereas, the narrow wheel presses 

 the stones it bears upon, aside, and thereby forms a rut, in- 

 to which it sinks, consequently increases the obstacles it 

 has to encounter. He also observes, that a small addition- 

 al weight to the wheels, (say one half cwt. per pair), is of 

 much less consequence than the same additional load to the 

 body of the cart.* 



* It is proper likewise to remark, that a cart with broad wheels goes 



