404 Report on the Exhibition of Implements 
if applied in a direction at right angles to this line, i, e., if the 
shafts be horizontal. This holds good so long as the cart meets 
with no impediments, but when the wheels have to be drawn 
out of a hole, or over a stone or other obstacle, the power 
would act with most effect in a direction at right angles to a line 
drawn from the axle to the summit of the obstacle to be sur- 
mounted. Hence it appears that a horse will draw the greatest 
load on the level if the shafts be horizontal, but that for a pull 
out of a rut or over a hillock he will have most strength if the 
shafts slope downwards from his shoulder. 
In drawing up hill the case is rather different, and whilst con- 
sidering this point, it is necessary to bear in mind that a horse 
ought always to draw by his weight, and that he is assisted in 
doing this if the cart be so balanced upon its axle that a portion 
of the load rests on his back. When his powers are severely 
tasked, as in drawing a load up a steep incline, he ought to be 
assisted in his efforts by having more weight than common thrown 
on him; but, in point of fact, the altered position of a cart when 
ascending a hill diminishes instead of increasing the weight on 
the horse. This is true of all carts, but the higher they are the 
more rapidly is the centre of gravity thrown backwards by the 
elevation of the shafts, and the more quickly is the pressure on 
the horse's back converted into a lift, which seriously diminishes 
his power of draught. The argument for and against high carts 
may, consequently, be stated as follows : — where roads are good 
and there are few hills, horses will do their work with most ease 
to themselves if carts are of such a height that the shafts are nearly 
level when the horse is drawing, a slight slope being always 
advisable in consequence of the unavoidable inequalities of the 
best roads; on the other hand, low carts are easier to fill, easier 
to draw on bad roads or over rough ground, and preferable both 
up and down hill. 
On all accounts, therefore, low carts are the best for farm 
purposes, but those which are intended for road-work alone, where 
roads are good, may with advantage be made higher; the height, 
however, should be gained by increasing the size of the wheels, 
rather than by the ordinary method of placing blocks of wood on 
the axles. 
All that has been here said respecting the height of carts in 
general applies with additional force to harvest carts, and the 
inconvenience resulting from their being made unnecessarily high, 
has led, especially in hilly districts, to the use of waggons lor 
harvest work. The very excellent article* by Mr. Love on the 
* Although the superiority of one-horse carts to Ihiee-horse waggons 
has been completely proved, this simple improvement has not been 
adopted so generally as to render further proof superfluous. I therefore 
