The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-20

Country Gentleman.
Transfers sometime needlessly strain their
horses by loading them too heavily, not having
a knowledge of the real weight of the material
which constitutes the load; and at other times
they lose time by not placing on enough for easy
dfaught of lighter substances. 1t is we'll, there
fore to learn the specific gravity of what they
draw, and to apply little simple arith-
metic for the benefit of themselves and their
teams They can readily measure their
wagon boxes determine their contents in
cubic feet, and know just how much to
take for load. Half-rotted manure for exam
pie, weighs nearly as much as an equal bulk of
water, requiring about thirty six cubic feet to
the ton. If the wagon. box is three feet wide,
eleven feet long and thirteen inches deep, con-
tanning thirty six cubic feet, the manure, if
compactly deposited. will weigh one ton and
if the horses are to draw ton and half,
the teamster must pile the manure seven
inches higher, with side boards or a deeper box,
to give his horses what they will easily convey.
But another important matter must be taken
into consideration, namely, the kind of road to
be passed over. A hardfrozen and smooth sur
face in winter, will require only one-thrd the
strength of team which must be exerted In draw
ing load of manure over unfroZen plowed
field; and on one recently plowed. not more than
one-fourth or oneffth-which is an additional
| reason for drawing out and spreading manure in
winter These differences in required tractive
power on the hard and soft roads are the results
of measurements with the dynamometer.
Carrying out the various estimates of the bulk
of a ton, the following figures may be useful in
practices A load of brick to weigh a ton. as
they lie solid or without iuterstices, and with
the specific gravity nearly double that of water,
would be about IL cubic feet The teamster,
with little arithmetic, may readily estimate
how full to fill his wagon box-usually little
less than 600 bricks to the ton. Tubular tile will
be about twice as bulky as brick and about 500
two-inch pipe tile will weigh ton. if they
are 10 inches long and full half-inch
thick. Some are made lighter. and more
are required for the given weight Anthracite
coal has specific gravity of about ]. 55 but the
interstces in ton-load make it occupy thirty
cubic feet Bitumnous coal is lighter and
nearly thirty six cubic feet are required for the
same weight Charcoal is barely one-third as
heavy as anthracite, and nearly hundred cubic
feet required for load water-tank, for
supplying farm engine. or drawing water for
farm use. should hold thirty-three feet for each
ton. Land plaster or gypsum ground will weigh
about ton for every twenty cubic feet; and lime.
in its common condition and fresh, will require
over twice that bulk. Its weight is nearly
doubled if thoroughly air-slacked, and hence the
economy of always drawing lime, if from q dis
tance, while it is fresh. Swamp muck or peat
varies with its condition as to wetness, and the
amount of earth or sand which it contains,
washed into 1t during its formation, making
difference of thirty-fve to eighty pounds to the
cubic foot When well dried, a ton would re-
quire seventy eighty cubic feet; more COM
monty, one-haR that bulk would be as heavy;
and wet and earthly, not more than twenty five
or thirty cubic feet
The specific gravity of slick is more than two
and a half times as great as that of water, but
the interstices In load of sand reduce its weight
to less than twice that of water Sand also
varies with the earth and water which il con-
tains, but the average is about twenty-five cubic
feet to the ton. Cord wood varies with the kind
of wood, and with the degree of dryness Sea
soned pine and other light kinds weigh only
half as much as water while several OF the hard
Etx1Ao han han xx1nm khax1
The weight of cord will vary whether green
or dry, round or split crooked or straight light
or heavy. and loosely compactly laid. The
average weight of a cord OF the lightest kinds,
deductlng onethird for interstlces, will be about
two thousand five hundred pounds. cord of
seasoned maple weighs nearly two tons. Un-
seasoned. it would contain over half ton of
water Limestone is about two and half times
heavier than water, marble two and threefourths,
and granite and sandstone about the same; and
from these figures the bulk of load may be
estimated. In drawing earth, gravel and clay,
at ordinary degrees Of moisture, IL or Is cubic
feet may be reckoned as weighing ton, but
much depends their compactness, the bulk
in their natural beds being increased at the rate
of from two to three by digging, or Is feet in
creased to o. Hay varies in weight with the
kind of hay, the degree OF curing, the time OF
cutting, whether early and soft, or late, dry and
stiff; and with the depth of the bay or superin-
cumbent weight and time in settling; but as
fair average, well settled timothy hay is about
500 cubic feet and clover 700 or 900 to the ton.
The different substances which we have men
toned will settle and become smaller after driv-
ing over the road, and the interstices will be of
less magnitude and more or less filed; the meas
uremsats given usually apply to those freshly
loaded. There is much variation in the specific
gravity of some of them. and more or less with
ALL But by becoming familiar with the weights
of the different materials which constitute the
loads of teams, the owners may often economic
labor and time and occasionally prevent injury
by overstraining on the part of their teams.