54 Implements of Hufbandry.—~-Waggons—=Trifh Car

intelligent writer, who has attended much to the fubject; as by means of a crooked

“fide-rail, bending archwife over the hind wheel, the bodies or frames of them are kept low, without the diameter of the wheels being much leflened. The bodies are likewife made wide in proportion to their fhallownefs, and the wheels run fix inches wider than thofe of moft other waggons, whereby advantages in carrying top-loads are evidently obtained*,

In many diftriéts, waggons are the principal carriages employed in getting in the hay and corn, and carrying them to the market, and likewife im bringing manure, coals, and various other materials. In fuch cafes they are generally drawn by the whole team on the farm, and two men, or a man and a boy, are neceflary to attend them in performing the bufinefs.

But this fort of conveyance, however well conftructed, from its great weight and unwieldinefs, as well as its expence, feems far from being advantageous to the interefts of the farmer; as while it is highly deftructive of the roads, it requires great power in the draught, which muft be procured at much expence, without affording an adequate compenfation in the quantity of materials which it conveys. It is however fuppofed by a later author, that in performing diftant carriages, where the roads are level and fubftantially made, and the waggons at all times fa/y loaded, one of them may probably be as advantageoufly ufed as two or more carts of lefs dimenfions; but that where labour is required to be performed with expedition, as in the harvett- ing of hay and corn, fuch unwieldy machines are ill calculated for the purpofe; and that on every occafion, where they return only half or a third part loaded, the farmer. muft obvioufly fuftain a confiderable lofs t.

The ufe of heavy carriages being found inconvenient in performing fome forts of bufinefs, farmers, in particular inftances, have had recourfe to a lighter fort of vehicle for conveying manures, and other materials of the fame kind, upon land, while large waggons are employed for other purpofes. In this way the improved Irifh car has been made ufe of, and found well adapted to the conveyance of fuch fubftances, a good horle being capable of drawing with eafe and expedition more than a ton weight.

In its confiruction it approaches much to the fquare form, being only a few inches longer in the bed than it is broad; the wheels are made low and broad, with a flat bearing, and placed under the body of the machine. From thefe dif- ferent circumftances it poffeffes many advantages; it can be readily filled, pafs con- fined gateways with facility, and be drawn upon foft meadow or ploughed grounds with much lefs injury and inconvenience. From the cylindrical form of the rims of

* Marfhall’s Rural Economy of Gloucefterthire,+ Donaldfon’s Modern Agriculture.