The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-01-13
BROAD TIRE WAGONS.

The Country Gentleman gives an
interesting account of the results of
series of experiments by the Missouri
State Agricultural Experiment Sta
ton with broad tire wagons.
The experiments, which are contin-
uous, were begun in January, 1896,
and were continued until the emf of
September, 1S97-a period of about 20
months, covering all seasons of the
year and about the ordinary rage of
weather and soil conditions. They
were COZ Quoted with an ordinary farm
wagon, having in ever case a load OF
1000 pounds, and were on macadam,
gravel and earth roads under all vari.
ties of condition known to the climate
and soil of the region also on
meadows and pastures, and stubble
and plowed lands under the varying
conditions due to the difference in
seasons and weather.
In nearly all the tests two sets Of
wheels were used-the wheel orlina-
rilv found on our farm wagons, having
a tire one and a-half inches wide; anu
an iron wheel with a six inch tire. In
all cases the wagon and load were the
same. A tested recording dy namome-
ter was used to show the strair.
On hard, smooth, and nearly level
macadam street, free from earth ard
loose stone or sand, with the Lariow
tire the average strain required was
1914 pounds; with the wide tire, 70 a
pounds. Thus the narrow tire re-
quired 30 per cent. more force than
the wide tire. On a gravel roo d with
hard surface, no ruts, but some
loose stones the size of black walnuts,
the narrow tires required an average
power of 21S4 pounds, and the wide
tires only 1853 pounds. Here the mar
row tires required 33 per cent. more
power than the wide tires. Onglavel
and dry sand mixed, the road being
dry and free from ruts, the narrow
tires required 239. pounds, and the
wide tires 1867 pounds. The narrow
tires required As per cent. more power
than the wide tires. On gravel road
covered with water and sand one to
two and half inches deep, the diff.
ference was rather in favor of the
narrow tire. On the first trial the
wide tire forced the slushy mixture
out of the way and required 2GS.1
pounds of power, while the narrow
tire cut its way with only 1923 pounds
of power. In another trial the differ
ence in favor of the narrow tire was
nine pounds. But while the narrow
tire cut through to the hardpan, aud
stirred up and destroyed the surface
ing material, the wide tire did not
damage the road at all.
On a dry, hard, smooth earth road,
the wide tire required rs 9 pounds
power and the narrow tire 1906
pounds. 1t will be noted that the diff
ference between the dry, hard smooth
earth road and hard, smooth maca
dam road is very littly when the con-
dition of both was the least favora BILE,
but when both were dry and devoid
of ruts, the wide tires required 1884
pounds on the macadam and 1853 on
the earth, and the narrow tires 1875
pounds on the macadam and 11S 4 on
the earth. The difference is still
considerable one in favor of the wife
tires, and is distinctly in favor of the
macadam, 1t must not be inferred, of
course, that earth roads can be com
pared with macadam. When the
former is dry, hard and smooth, it is
little inferior to the macadam; but
that is its rarely exceptional condition;
and when it is rough or wet, it is much
inferior to the macadam.
One surprising result was that on
good gravel road, with hard surface,
no ruts, but some loose stones the size
of black walnuts, the broad tires re-
quired "a pounds more power and the
narrow tires Is pounds more power
than on a good earth road. But it
must be remembered that a well made
gravel road is about as good after rains
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