ROADS 199 



the wagon when the load was equally distributed upon all 

 four wheels and the draft of the same wagon when the 

 load was piled over the rear axle. Two trials were made in 

 each case. The draft of the wagon when the load was 

 equally distributed was 149 pounds, and when almost 

 entirely upon the hind wheels, 147 pounds; this is, for 

 practical purposes, the same. These trials were made on 

 a hard gravel road. Two trials in each case upon a blue 

 grass sod showed that with the load distributed the draft 

 was 167 pounds, and with the load on the front wheels, 

 289 pounds. These results show that where the road is 

 firm and smooth it is immaterial whether the load is evenly 

 distributed or not, but where the ground is soft the draft 

 is increased if the weight is placed on the front or the rear 

 wheels. 



Point of attachment. A few experiments have been made 

 to determine the influence of the point of attachment of 

 the team upon draft. These tests were made upon a gravel 

 road, in the first case level, in the second case with a grade 

 of 6 feet to the hunclred. In the first case, with the whiffie- 

 trees in a normal position, the draft was 188 pounds. When 

 the power was placed at the end of the tongue, g}4 feet 

 ahead of the ordinary point of attachment, the draft was 

 174 pounds. When the load was drawn up the grade 

 mentioned, with the whiffletrees in the ordinary position, 

 the average draft of two trials was 366 pounds. When the 

 horses were hitched to the end of the tongue, as before, the 

 draft was 379 pounds. These trials do not show a marked 

 difference in draft which can be attributed to the point or 

 method of attachment. 



Width of tires. The width of tires has from time to time 

 been a topic for considerable discussion. It is generally 

 conceded that a wide tire is less detrimental to a road than 

 a narrow one, the wide tire, to a certain extent, performing 

 the work of a roller, tending to compact and leave the road 

 surface in better condition than before the vehicle passed 



