Developed in the late 1850s, the traction engine revolutionized the agriculture industry. James H. Maggard, an authority on steam power, wrote The Traction Engine for the "rough and tumble engineers" tasked with operating these machines in the field. That was not an altogether easy task even for a seasoned professional. Breakdowns, boiler explosions, and injury could result if an operator was inattentive. This reprint of the 1900 edition of the book features expanded chapters on the subject of threshing machines and the new internal combustion engine models. Illustrated throughout, and featuring a highly readable text, this is a wonderful book for anyone who is a fan of steam technology, the museum docent, or anyone who ever wondered "how the heck does that work?