fully ingle. - Points greatly farm*, nt forts | Carry. nade of ed for ‘ances, >{mall s, and 1s and rithout “carts. elpe- ; It is The endi- - with $ cart dition cility. heavy id be with inder

vent fting ring

ha

Implements of Hufoandry Carts. 39

the front of the cart by a fcrew, and worked by a pinion and handle fixed to the pole, where the cart is made to be drawn in that way; and fo contrived as to admit of the fore part of the cart being elevated in proportion to the fteepnefs of the de- clivity, by which means the weight of the load is thrown more upon the axis, and confequently relieves the necks of the cattle which are employed in the draught. Another more fimple method of accomplifhing this point is by a{trong piece of iron,‘which is bent fo as to form part of the arch of a circle, the radius of which Is nearly equal to its diftance from the axis of the cart, and which is perforated with holes, for the admiflion of a{trong iron-pin, by which the body of the cart is kept at any defired inclination with the pole.

The friction-bar, or drag, by being connected with the tail of the cart by a{mall chain, and to the front by a clofely notched or toothed rack that catches on a. {trong{taple, can be made to afford different degrees of preflure on the fides of the wheel, according to the nature of the hill, or the inclination of the driver*. From the circumftance of this application of the drag, it has been termed a drag-cart.

By thefe ingenious and fimple contrivances. many advantages are produced, the danger to which horfes and drivers are frequently expofed is obviated, much time faved, and the deftrudtion of the roads confiderably leflened.

As it has been fhewn that thofe parts of the neck and fhoulder-blades on which the collars reft in draught-horfes have that degree of flope, or inclination, which. forms an angle with the horizon of about fourteen or fifteen degrees, it is plain that the line in which they draw fhould form the fame angle; as in that cafe they will pull in that line of dire@tion which coincides. the moft with the fhape of their fhoulders, and, of courfe, all the different parts of their fhoulders will be equally preffed or aéted upon by the collars. Hence horfes draw more in cons formity to their mechanifm in a floping, than an horizontal line of direGtion; and the power or advantage which they have in overcoming the refiftance of obftacles in this direction is likewife mechanically great, as may be eafily demonftrated. On thefe principles, therefore, fingle-horfe carts muft be more advantageous than teams, as in the latter cafes many of the horfes muft draw in a horizontal direction, confequently in a way that is inconfiftent with their mechanifm, and the

eftablifhed principles of mechanical fciencet. This likewife places in the moft

clear and fatisfattory point of view, the neceflity of having the wheels in all

forts of carts properly adapted to the fize of the horfes or other animals employed:

in them.

* Lord Somerville’s Paper in Communications to the Board of Agriculture, yol. I, $ Walker's Syftem of Familiar Philofophy, p. 167.