156 REPORT OF THE BOTANIST OF THR 
sity of straddling the row led to the construction of a larger 
truck with arched axles which would c‘ear the asparagus without 
injuring it. The sides of the arches were constructed of one and 
one-half inch square iron, the latter being bent at top and bottom. 
The top angles were flattened for attachment to an oak plate 
which formed the top of the arch, while the bottom angles formed 
the spindles for the wheels. The width of space at base of these 
arches is 4 feet 14 inches, while at the top this space is 3 feet 
6 inches. The slant height of front arch to arch-plate is 2 feet 
5 inches; slant height of rear arch to arch-plate 1 foot 104 inches. 
Both arches were braced, each brace being 2 feet 6 inches long, 
made from inch iron. The arch-plate clears a space of 4 feet. The 
arrangement and sizes of parts of front truck are shown in Fig. 1, 
Plate XVII. As it would jhave been bad mechanics to draw all 
the load from one point at top of the front arch, especially with 
wheels which had a tread of 6 feet, a double-tree was attached to 
the pole and then connected with the axle of each fore-wheel so 
that enough of the load was drawn from the latter points to 
remove all side wrench on the arch. (See Plate XX.) The arch- 
plate of rear arch forms part of the whole framework and is 
shown in Plate XVI. The tool box is shown only in photographs. 
With the exception of the brake-bar, the 2x4 inch cross plate 
at rear of frame, and the 2x3 inch diagonal plates which support 
the carrier, all the wood parts are of oak. The brake-bar, the 
diagonal carrier-supports, and the cross plates on which the 
latter rest, are of pine. A clear space of 2 feet 11 inches was 
allowed between the side plates. At points 117, Plate XVI, three 
half-inch iron plates are attached for carrying the upper half of 
the fifth-wheel and serve as partial supports for the tank. 
Across the rear end an oak plank 14 inches wide was bolted to 
side-plates as a support for the pump. In addition a second — 
plank shown in Plate XVI was bolted to the above cross plank 
and to rear arch-plate for attachment of fulcrum.to clutch-brake. 
The lengths and sizes of timbers are as shown in Plate XVI. 
The wheels are iron, having 4-inch tires one-half inch thick, and 
ruaranteed to carry from 8,000 to 12,000 lbs. The rear wheels 
