Every wheel must have an iron band about it, very tight, to strengthen it and to hold it firmly together.

Without a tire, a wheel would very soon come to pieces, in rattling over a stony road.
"Besides," continued Forester, "there is a great deal of other iron work, which the farmers must have done.

Farmers can, generally, do most of the wood work which they want themselves.

They can make their rakes, and drags, and cart-bodies, and sleds, and tool handles; but when they want iron work, they must go to the blacksmith's.

They can make a harrow-frame, but the blacksmith must make the teeth." "Now I should think," said Marco, "that it would be easier to make the teeth than the frame." "Perhaps it is as easy, if one has the forge and tools," replied Forester; "but the tools and fixtures, necessary for blacksmith's work, are much more expensive than those required for ordinary wood work.