Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-02-20
la1lcaster fnteIIigellcer.
FRIDAY EVENING, FEB. 20. 1880.
Country Road Making.

The transportation question is one OF
greatest importance to American farmers:
1t is probable, however, that the phase OF
this subject that has been least discussed
by public journals-the making and mend
ing of country roads-is quite as important
and less understood than any other.
large proportion of American farm products
never reach the railroads. They are
consumed on the farm or in the
villages and cities whittier the farm
er's team and wagon convey them.
Most of these farmers live SO far
from market that one full day at least is
consumed in marketing a load of prodnce
II the roads are uniformly good and level
a team will draw two tons of grain more
easily than on ordinary roads they will
draw half that amount. This may seem
to some too great difference, but it is be-
cause we have too few really good roads.
Too little attention is paid to grading. In
long stretch of level roads, slight hill
NAV compel every teamster to put on much
less than he should be able to do. In such
case it would be better to grade the hill, If
that be possible, or 60 around it. The
measure of value of road is what team
can draw over the hardest part of it.
There is decided increase in the selling
value of farms which always have good
and level road to market. do not believe
the importance of having good roads is
appreciated as it should and will be, but
there is already an understanding on this
subject which makes intelligent road I'M
proyement profitable. As rule,
most of the work annually put upon
country highways is wasted. Conscious
nesss of this fact is one reason
why such work is generally shirked
as far as possible Most men will not
work at their road tax as they do on their
farms for themselves. If they could know
that their work on the road was as direct
Iy for their own benefit as that which they
do in every day farm work, this would not
be so. To have men engage earnestly In
road making, it must be shown that their
labors are producing good results. AS it is
now, very often the harder men work the
worse will be the roads.
The severe winters and superabundant
rains and SHOWS of our northern climate,
make the keeping of roads in repair ex,
tremely difficult We have hardly begun
to appreciate the importance of under
draining to keep roads in good order. 1t
is, on all heavy soils, the first thing to be
done. In neighborhoods where farmers
underdrain their land, the roads are much
better than where they do not Very often
the drain crosses the road and always at
point where it will be of most advantage
With an underdrain three feet deep cross
ing a road, and usually in a depression, ii
should be easy to keep long stretch OF
road always dry. This is the place to pu
in a piece of macadam turnpike-twO ol
three layers of stone lightly covered witt
earth and gravel. The macadam turn
pike is really thoroughly drained road
bed when it is perfect. The reason VIII!
it so often fails is because in many places
there is no outlet to the drain. The water
runs under the road to some depression
and there lies until winter frOstS have
lifted the stones from their foundation anC
left the road a quagmire as soon as the
spring came. If the macadam road-bed is
connected with an underdrain it will Obvi
ate this truble and make 8 firm and per
manent road-bed.
Piling loose earth and sods in the centre
of the road may be somewhat better thar
leaving the surface level Buf if the sol
is vegetable matter, sods and the like, tht
more it is piled up, the worse the road-bet
will surely be. Nothing will do any gOOt
except to first remove surplus water by
stone or tile underdrains. When this is
done, it is surprising how little stone ol
gravel is needed. l am glad that road
makers are learning to use more gravel
but in thousands of places drawing grave
to throw on an undrained turnpike is nearl,
waste of labor-W j. +. in Country Gen
H9W1n