Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-30
NO. 257.

the barnyard. In this case the road be-
comes part of the pasture.
1t would be economical to remove the
surface of this road, and replace with
coarse gravel at the bottom, aud screened
gravel at the top. When thoroughly roll
led with very heavy roller it would prob
ably resist the action Of wheels, so as to
leave quite smooth and easily travelled
road. If some portions of the way are
OF soft and swampy character, it would
be well to take off the surface until firm
bottom is reached, and then fill up to with
in six or eight inches of the top, with
some of the stones that are in the way on
the farm. If on a farm where stones do
not abound, fill with old timber, coarse
brush, plank. or anything which will pre-
vent the gravel from sinking, then fill with
sand, gravel, or whatever can be obtained
at least COST that will best meet the pur-
poses desired
For want of such a road, we have seen
farms greatly disfgured. Otherwise beau
tiful fields were cut into unsightly ruts,
and the cost of moving and raking them
nearly doubled in consequence Of their
existence. When it becomes necessary
to re-seed such fields, the burrows are
broken every time the plough passes over
the ruts, and the places can only be made
level and smooth by hand, with hoe or
spade. If the land is to be planted and
cultivated before seeding to grass, it is
not Of SO much consequence but still. the
neat workman will be annoyed by the slov-
enly appearance of the field.
A good road passing through the farm
is greatly needed in the spring. The
ground is then soft, and the teaming to
be done of the heaviest kind. Very few
farmers appreciate the weight of a two
horse cart-load of green manure. An
easy way Of ascertaining will be by taking
an old bushel basket,-weigh it, and ill
the basket, weigh again and empty into
the cart until it is filled with such load
as is usually drawn out by the team. Dana,
in his Muck Manual, page 1888, states that
one cord of green cow-dung, will weigh
9,2S9lbs. 1t is.not unusual to see an ox-cart
filled with such material, to be hauled off
by a single pair of oxen, and perhaps
over plowed ground, where the power to
move it ought to be twice as great as on
a hard road. We have often seen COM
mon horse-cart filed with green manure
from the barn-cellar, and taken to a
ploughed field by single horse. When
there, the feet of the horse would sink to
the fetlocks, and the wheels of the cart
several inches into the soft soil. Still, the
poor animal was expected TO draw the
load. On reminding farm hand to find
the weight of his loads by the ''basket
process" it appeared that he was hauling
out about 1920 pounds at each load.
Such a load would not be too much, per-
haps, for stout horse, on hard road.
but over newly ploughed field it was a
cruel eXaction.
There are other reasons why the farm
should be supplied with one good road,
at least. Through moist soils, ruts are
soon deeply cut this not only increases
the draft, but the carts become coated
with mud, and sometimes that coating
remains on them during the entire sum-
mer-haying season and all! This in
jures the paint and woodwork of the
vehicles, and to say the least, is no credit
to the farmer-N. e. Farmer.