78 On the Reduction of Horse Labour by single Carts, 



cubic yards = about J ton, exhibits by the same lines an amount 

 of 622 lbs. of pressure : on the horse and -f^ on the wheel = 

 lbs, on the horse's back. 

 Fig. 3 is the skeleton-cart loaded with the same quantity as 

 the Cumberland cart above^ viz. J ton, which it is enabled to do at 

 so low an elevation from its lenoth and greater width. It mea- 

 sures 5 yards long- x 1 high x 3 wide =1.5 yards cube = about 

 ^ a ton. The amount of pressure that it exhibits in the same 

 way as the other two, is 238 lbs., of which rest on the horse, 

 and on the centre of the wheel, being a weight on the horse of 

 621 lbs. 



I will not occupy time by giving the process of my calculations, 

 which I trust will be sufficiently obvious. And I hope I have 

 made it clear that I had good reason for adopting the principle of 

 the cart in Fig. 3, which, while the midland cart shows in a ton 

 load a weight of 456 lbs. on the horse, and the Cumberland 

 401 lbs. in a half-ton, gives him in the same quantity but 62 lbs. 

 to bear. It must not, however, be forgotten that they are repre- 

 sented on an inclination that can scarcely occur, viz., 1 in 2, 

 which I thought it best to use in order to show the principle 

 more distinctly. I trust at least I have made it satisfactory that 

 on an ordinary steep hill, with a moderate load adjusted with 

 common care, my cart can never distress the horse. In my own 

 experience I have never perceived it to do so under the heaviest 

 load. My descents* do not ordinarily exceed I in 28. 



The French fully carry out the principle of a long load. 

 Their harvest-carts are literally only two very long stout levers 

 (with scarce any other appendage), just so much ouer-balanced on 

 the axle-tree as to leave length enough for the horse to find a pair 

 of shafts. I have discovered lately in the old Agricultural Re- 

 port for Cornwall that my plan has been anticipated in the 

 Cornish wain,f an implement the reporter speaks most favourably 

 of : its principle appears exactly similar, varying only in structure 

 of parts.;]. It is not mentioned that it is adapted to the draught 

 of one horse. 



* The steepest part of the road over the Henley chalk hills between 

 Oxford and London rises about 1 in 10. On a turnpike 1 in 25 is an easy 

 ascent. 



f I do not know to what report Mr. Hannam refers. Frazer's report in 

 1794 says that no wheel-carriages were used, everything being carried on 

 mules and horses; which is not true. Toupin mentions the Cornish wain 

 sixty years earlier. The wain now in use is commonly for oxen ; the plat- 

 form is 10 ft. long by 3 ft. 5 in. wide ; but a rail on each side makes the 

 total width about 5 ft. 3 in.— C. Lemon. 



t It is perhaps the best carriage in the kingdom for clearing off harvest. 

 The body is open : ladders of five bars before and behind give it great 

 length, and an arch over the hind wheel gives it breadth. The fore wheels 

 turn clear under the body, so that it can sweep round in a very narrow 



