Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1850-01-24
information For Farmers.
PLANK ROADS

AS-h4N1N nv n DS.
Scientific experiments have proved
that The same power required 10 move
one ton IN a common lumber wagon, on
a level earth road, will move the same
wagon with load of four and one
third tons on level wood surface.
One ton is the average practicaIload
for two horse team over a tolerably
level common road; it follows, then,
that the same team can, with equal
ease, draw a load Of four and one.third
tons on a properly graded plank road.
pracueal results have proved this 10 bc
! true, because four tons now constitute
the usual load for two horse team on
all plank roads, where the inequalities
of the lands surface have been levelled
to the practical grades. Wagons, how
ever, 10 bear such increased weight,
should be made somewhat stronger
than they are commonly made for or.
dnary use; but yet 4 common wagon
viii bear much greater weight on u
plank than common road, for the rea-
son that the pressure is direct and uni
/ form on plank road, whereas, on a
common road, by reason of ruts and
inequalities Of surface, the wagon is
subject to severe trials by oblique and
lateral strains. Both wagon and har-
ness, in constant use oD a plank road,
| by means of this steady action and
diminished friction, will las; longer
than on ordinary public roads.
Suppose farmer, living some ten
] m los nF na,r,i, l,- 4 / -
wheat TO take to market, in his own
wagon, over common roads in the con-
dItlon in which they generally are. lie
would not ordinarily carry more than
! 30 bushels at lUad--lhe weight of
which, at 90 lbs. the bushel, is 2,lOO
| pounds. one would occupy SO much
time, that he could only make one trip
a day, and then he would have TO make
four trips, and consume four days in
conveying his lao bushels 10 market;
bot if he could trave! on q plank road,
he could carry the whole l4O bushels
at one load; the weight of the whole
at go lbs the bushel, is four tons and
400 lbs. How, then, does the account
stand! Four trips over a common
road will cost as follows: four days for
himself and team, at one dollar and
fifty cents 4 day, six dollars.
One trip over plank road one day
is 81 so.
Toll both ways at two cents per
mile, is so 40.
! Difference in favor of plank road is
81 10.
The first impression is very strong
against being taxed for travelling to
market and great hostility is naturally
felt against the conversion Of free into
& toll road-but this arises from not
understanding the advantage Of plank
road.
/ The above calculation shows that
the payment of the 10 cents for toll, is
not, in fact, tax out Of The pocket, but
/ the cost Of privalcge by which 81 10
are saved. Money saved is money
made-and in the case above stated,
the farmer takes forty cents ou, of his
pocket and puts 81 10 in the place of il.
/ In the above calculation, no notice is
taken of the cost Of strengthening the
wagon, because such is more than made
up by saving in blacksmith and other
mechanics bills, for repairing damages
which continually occur on common
roads, and the greater duration of
wagon and harness.-[Com Bulletin.
AMERICAN IIEMP. The opinion is
entertained that if the Government will
make known its willingness and deter.
mlnation to purchase American water.
rotted hemp alone, if it can be procured
AZ a price not exceeding the average
price paid for the last FIVE wears for
foreign hemp, that quantities adequate
TO the wants of the navy, and of
quality greatly superior TO the foreign
hemp, would be prepared and offered
by the farmers of the West at such
points as would suit the convenience Of
the Government-[Sci. American.
THE ART OF CONVERSATION.
In the first place, remember in sus
tanning light and polite dialogue, that
TO 90 on saying anything is infinitely
better than coming 10 dead stop and
say nothing. ~, ...
Never bungle, hesitate, or correct
Yourself Let the stream of words