On all occasions it is most beneficial to roll across, because, when going in length, the implement is of small benefit to the furrows, the slightest acclivation ol the ridges preventing the work from being equally per formed. The expedition which takes place when rol lers are used, compared with the tedious and expensive process of breaking clods with malls, formerly the gen eral custom, sufficiently proves the importance of these implements, though it deserves to be remarked, that, when rolling is bestowed upon a spring-sown field, har rowing it afterwards is of great advantage. By harrow ing when the clods are reduced, the earth stands the effects of rain better afterwards, and does not con solidate so firmly as when that process is neglected.
On Wheel Carriages used in Husbandry.
To drive out manure, bring home corn from the field, and carry it to market, after being separated from the straw, are operations which, on arable farms, occupy one fourth of the labour at least. To employ carriages, therefore, that are calculated to execute these opera tions with the greatest facility, and at the least pos sible expense. would seem to be a matter of rural economy highly deserving of serious consideration. This circumstance, however, does not weigh so much with the farmer as it ought to do ; hence we notice, in many districts, that wheel carriages are clumsily con structed, often of inconvenient dimensions, and rarely adapted to the nature of the work to be executed, or the condition of the roads over which they are conveyed. In England this is particularly the case ; heavy wagons being, in numerous instances, employed to perform branches of rural labour, which would be much more easily and cheaply executed by small carts. In fact, wagons are of no benefit in agriculture, unless a long drive is to be taken. To load and unload them is dif ficult. Much time is unnecessarily consumed, especially when the taking out of manure is the work to be per formed ; while in every case these heavy carriages prove destructive to the roads, and entail an expense on the public, chiefly on agriculturists, of incalculable mag nitude.
Even the long carts. mounted on narrow wheels, and seven feet long, often used in England, are inconvenient for husbandry purposes, and detrimental to the roads. These carts, which are drawn by three horses, generally yoked in a line, cannot be set up, when loaded with manure, half so easily as the coup carts of Scotland ; indeed, in many cases it is never attempted to draw the manure out of them ; the driver, mounted on the top, dis loading the carriage with a grape or shovel, according to circumstances. It is not necessary to enlarge on these inconveniences, because every agriculturist, not obsti nately bigoted to ancient. usages, will at once discern their extent, and acknowledge, that a remedy would be highly desirable.
The most useful kind of carts, for the general pur poses of farming, are those used in the low country dis tricts of Scotland. These carts contain, within the boards, somewhat more than a cubic yard ; but when heaped with dung, will carry 14 yards with case, The wheels, generally 54 inches in height, are mounted upon iron axle-trees, which, by diminishing the friction, and lessening the resistance, renders them more easily drawn. Formerly, the w heel, from a mistaken principle,
was notch dished ; but a better knowledge of mechanics has occasioned that error to be rectified ; the spokes of the wheel being perpendicular to the axis, and the cir cumference pressing in that direction from all sides towards the centre, and wheels move equally and smoothly round ; whereas formerly, when the circum ference was so much without the centre, the wheels, in place of touching the axle-tree equally, and moving round smoothly, formed a kind of angle with it, which considerably increased the resistance, and destroyed the axle and bushes. See Ferguson's Lectures, Appendix, 01. p. 295.
When corn or hay is to be brought home from the field, a long cart, open spoked, and lightly constructed, is placed upon the wheels of the cart already mentioned ; and none seems better adapted for such purposes, be cause one are better calculated to admit of a large load with the least possible trouble to the driver, and to the horses. The only improvement called for on these carts, is lining than close on the bottom, and partially on the sides, w ith thin boards, whereby much grain would be saved that is now dropped on the road, or wasted in the stack-yard. The expense of lining them in this way would be trilling, and the additional weight thereby given to the horses inconsiderable.
The carts which we have described as used for farm purposes in Scotland, are almost in evert case wrought by two horse s, though several farmers employ smaller ones, drawn by cite horse, for driving corn to market, which is considered as being the most profitable method. Though little doubt can be entertained on this point, when the cart is to travel on a regular made road, yet it may safely be questioned, whether one-horse carts can with propriety be recommended for the general home work of a farm, where roads arc generally bad, w here often none are made, and where the cart has to travel over a ploughed field, sinking four or five inches at one place, and impeded by large clods at another. Under such circumstance s, an additional horse seems to be re quisite, especially when the weight of the draught sinks the carriage down, and thus lessens the powers of the shalt horse, and renders him unable to get forward. Un der these circumstances, the second horse, if yoked in a line, is able to do more titan the one in the shafts, be cause, when the carriage sinks into the soil, the line of direction of the draught is materially altered. In, every other case, we are quite satisfied that one-horse carts deSer C to be preferred ; not only because a propor tionally greater loading will be carried by them, over a road decently reps fired, but also, because less damage is done to the roads than when heavier draughts are cake n, and more horses cinployed.