Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-02-07
Broad Rims and Better Roads.
N. Y. Tribune.

Missouri Agricultural College, of CO.
lumbia, continues to show himself
worthy to rank among the first of
useful farm teachers. All of his in
vestigations are Of practical charac-
ter, and the occasional bulletins in
which he records them deserve careful
study. The latest relates TO expert
ments made in presence of his students
to illustrate the value of broad tires
and good roads. A Baldwin dyna-
mometer, tested in advance and found
to record correctly, was attached to
loads of 1865 lbs each upon two was
CONS with tires of Il and 3 inches
width respectively, the former consid>
erabIy worn. Hauled over level blue
grass sward, partially moist but on
which little rain had fallen in twelve
days, the draft for the wide wheels
averaged 80 ID. ); for the narrow ones
439 ID. or an increase of 41.6 per
cent:
Assuming the wagon to weigh
1000 pounds, then on the broad wheels
3,248 pounds of load would be drawn
as easily as 1000 pounds on the nar>
row tires, except the loss from the
wheels cutting deeper under the heav.
Ter load, Again, the broad wheels in
the trial did not injure the turf
while the narrow wheels cut through
tan important consideration. Our
teamsters for use about the College
Farm invariably choose the broad
wheels. They find that they are not
nearly as liable to get stuck in soft
places or during rainy times"
On partially dried dirt road the
broad tires cut less deeply, and the
narrow drew 1877 per cent heavier:
A net difference per ton load of 381
pounds, or 3S1 pounds more could be
drawn on the broad wheels to the
preservation of roads, as is recognized
in two or three States by adjusting the
rate of toll to the width of wheels, the
toll being RENTED on wheels of a Ger.
tain width"
Results Of pulls made to test the ex.
ira demand upon the team by grades
illustrate the cost OF climbing over high
ground to save the levels for tillage, Q
practice very common in locating pub
lie roads through undulating districts
and show the Importance of lowering
the grades when possible even at con
siderable expense where there is much
heavy carting On rise of one foo
in twenty-eight the draft was SIC
pounds; on fiat at the top it was lis
pounds:
THE net load drawn would be hard
ly one-third as much up this milo
grade as on the level ground. In adj
dition to this loss we have to have ado
the further loss Of capacity of a horso
to draw up hill. 1t is we'll known tina
the structure of the horse is such tina
he works to disadvantagenp grade
On level ground man power is as on,
to five, but up hill as one to thre'
compared with the horse. The valu,
of grades is well known to railroad
and it has sometimes caused their re
construction or even built competing
lines, and in the older parts of on
country the country roads are often re
constructed at great cost for the bust
ness advantage Of improved grades"
But level moist dirt road may b
harder on horses than up hill on soil,
surface indeed, the draft over the for
mer was 81 per cent greater than Oh
the rise above referred to, and fou
times as great as on hard level road
and seven times as great as on planl
floor Moreover:
"The draft registered by no mean
shows the actual effects on the horse
as it does not take into account the sue
ton of the mud and the slipping of tn
horses feet, as well as the little hill
constantly in front of his feet"
The Professor points out the clos
relationship between miserably crooked
billy and soft roads and the losses il
farming, inclusive of the cruel wea