1873 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
T17 
black or dark brown. The engraving, for 
which we are indebted to the London Field, 
represents a yearling recently imported into 
England. His history is curious. His dam 
was burnt to death the night he was born, as 
were also some half-dozen more of the same 
breed, and he was brought up by hand like a 
“finger calf.” He stands some 46 in., and 
promises to make about 14 hands. In temper 
he is very gentle and tractable. Like the 
Arabs with their mares, the Poitou breeders 
manifest considerable reluctance at parting 
with their asses, which is not to be wondered 
at considering the large sums of money which 
this mule breeding and selling brings them in. 
Loading a Tread-Power. 
A “ Young Farmer ” who owns a tread-pow¬ 
er and thrashing machine finds it a difficult 
matter to load it upon a wagon, and asks for 
a plan of doing it with the help of one man 
with himself. We have experienced exactly 
the same difficulty, and doubtless so have 
many others. After some few trials we hit 
upon a very easy method of doing this, and 
finally found that ten minutes were sufficient 
in which to load up both a two-horse tread- 
power and thrashing machine in addition. All 
that is needed are two strong planks 12 feet 
long, three rollers 6 feet long, and a couple of 
crow-bars. The tread-power is supposed to 
be standing in the barn as it was last used, set 
up on blocks or a “ horse.” Two rollers are 
placed beneath it and it is let down upon them. 
Our method of doing this was to have four or 
five blocks, the largest so long as to stand 
under the front of the tread-power as it was 
blocked up for use, or about 14 inches in length. 
This was used as a fulcrum by which to raise 
the power from off the “ horse ” or blocks on 
which it rested. It was then let down upon 
a smaller block. The one just used was taken 
away, and the next less in size substituted. 
This was used as a fulcrum for the crow-bar, 
by which the power was raised and the block 
moved and one yet smaller substituted. This 
was repeated until the power rested upon the 
rollers. The wagon was properly placed to re¬ 
ceive its load, the planks were placed with one 
end of each upon the wagon and the other ends 
under the front of the power. By means of 
the bars the power was pried forward, moving 
easily upon the rollers until it was pushed 
upon the planks and rested upon the movable 
platform or tread floor. By putting two men 
with their shoulders to the rear of the power 
it could then be run up the planks on to the 
wagon, where a roller should be placed to re¬ 
ceive it as the forward end comes down, which 
of course it does as soon as it over-balances 
the rear end. It is then pushed forward into 
its place, the roller being left under it ready 
for unloading, which is exactly the reverse of 
the loading, and it is fastened wdth ropes or 
chains to the wagon stakes. The planks are 
then shifted on to the floor of the power and 
the thrasher is slid up upon them and placed in 
the tread-power, where it is secured. The 
rollers, planks, bars, and all the other acces : 
sories are also loaded, and in less time than 
we write this the machine may be on its way 
to a neighbor’s farm who desires its help. Our 
engraving shows the way in which the wagon 
and planks are placed, and also how the tread- 
power is managed when fairly upon the planks. 
Eow to Move Houses. 
Among our farming population one man 
rarely builds’ or locates his buildings to suit his 
successor, and when a 
farm changes hands 
and a new occupant 
takes possession of his 
purchase, he finds it 
desirable to pull down, 
replace, or remove, at 
least, some of the build¬ 
ings. Many more 
would move badly lo¬ 
cated buildings if they 
knew how to do it or 
how to procure a re¬ 
moval. The means are 
simple enough; the 
knowledge of how to 
use the means is the 
one thing needed. We 
give here some engrav¬ 
ings of the method by 
•which buildings are 
moved, and explain their use. The imple¬ 
ments needed are jackscrews, rollers, and tim¬ 
bers. The jackscrews are powerful screws 
made expressly for the purpose, which 
may generally be hired from a neighboring 
foundry or machine shop, or can be purchased 
for a few dollars each. The rollers consist of 
a very heavy carriage of timber about three 
feet long and eighteen inches wide for heavy 
buildings, and half that size for light ones. It 
is framed together of strong material, either 
oak or yellow pine, six inches square. Under¬ 
neath there are strong cast iron wheels let into 
the timber for half their height, and held in 
their place by means of strong iron plates bolt¬ 
ed to the frame (fig. 1). On the top of the 
frame iron spikes, projecting about one inch 
above the timber, are inserted, and each one is 
brought to a point, which is intended to pene¬ 
trate the sills of the building and hold the roll- 
Fig. 1.—CARRIAGE FOR MOVING HOUSES. 
ers firmly in the position in which they are 
intended to remain (fig. 1). To get the rollers 
under the building, it is raised by the jack- 
screws, which are placed upon the foundation 
wall, parts of which are removed for the pur¬ 
pose. For a small building one screw at each 
corner is sufficient; but if the sills are weak 
enough screws should be used to support the 
building evenly, so that the inside plaster may 
be preserved entire. When the screws are all 
placed in position, each one is turned an inch 
or two at a time in regular order if there are 
not sufficient hands to man all the screws at 
the same time (fig. 2). If there is a sufficiency, 
the screws are turned simultaneously until the 
building is raised so that the timbers can be 
placed beneath it and the carriage upon the 
timbers. The building is then let down upon 
the carriage, ready for removal. The timbers 
should be evenly and solidly laid upon the 
ground. A strong rope and a set of tackle are 
needed to draw the building. A strong iron 
bar is driven into the ground ahead of the 
building, to which one 
end of the tackle is 
fastened. The other 
block is hooked on to 
a rope or chain fastened 
to the sill Df the house. 
If this sill is not strong 
enough to bear the 
strain, it must be 
strengthened. The 
team is hitched to the 
rope and started gently 
and steadily (fig. 3). As 
the house is drawn up 
to the iron bar, that is 
moved further on and a 
new start made. It may be necessary to ob¬ 
serve that the timbers should belaid quite level 
and be blocked up when necessary to preserve 
LOADING A HORSE-POWER UPON A WAGON. 
Fig. 3.—THE HOUSE ON ITS TRAVELS. 
