WINDMILLS 315 



In power mills very often the shafting is much heavier 

 than need be. This is probably due to the fact that the 

 mill was designed for much more power than it will 

 actually develop. Often poor workmanship in manufac- 

 ture as well as in erection is the cause of so many mills 

 having such small power. 



Trees, buildings, and embankments cause the wind 

 velocity to be so variable that for good work it is de- 

 sirable that the wind wheel be placed at least 30 feet 

 above all obstructions. This would cause the towers to 

 be at least 60 or 70 feet high. It is better to put a small 

 wheel on a high tower than a large wheel on a low tower. 

 An 8-foot wheel on a 7o-foot tower will probably do more 

 work in a given length of time than a 1 2-foot wheel on a 

 3O-foot tower. 



The pumping mill is ordinarily constructed so the 

 work is nearly all done on the up stroke. This is hard 

 on the mill, as it produces a very jerky motion and ex- 

 cessive strain on the working parts. By placing a heavy 

 weight on one end of a lever and connecting the plunger 

 rod to the other this strain is reduced, since when the 

 plunger rod goes down it raises the weight, and when 

 it comes up, lifting the pump valve and water, the weight 

 goes down and thus assists the mill. 



436. How the wind may be utilized. In a country 

 where there is such an abundant supply of wind as in 

 the Central and Western States there is no doubt that a 

 windmill is the cheapest and most feasible power for the 

 farmer. In certain localities water power is a great 

 opponent of the wind, but it has the disadvantage to the 

 farmer of being in the wrong location, causing water 

 rights to be looked after and dams to be kept in repair, 

 while in utilizing the wind all that is required is some 

 simple device which will turn wind pressure into work. 



