The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-05-18

/ would like to make a few suggestions
VI yum many readers in relation to the
lepails of highways | have not had
time to discuss the great cost and import
auce of the subject, as should like To-,
uut VIII SAY NJ each man, remember that
lNc highway is EOuls, and as You repair
1t So You must tTarel it, and any person
"Gn does not work we'll has no right to
complain Of q poor road. There is money
enough appropriated III this state to make
good roads and we must come to the
conclusion that ii is not faithfully worked
0r rs un.killully laid out The former !
'huk, no one VIII dare to deny, and
viii make my effort to throw a little light
~ the latter.
FIRST. see that your road-bed Is suitably
drained. To do this YOU viii sometimes
need To put drain some distance into
the adjoining lot and ii will need lots of
culverts TO take the water across the road.
Here let me say that in cases where there
> not large flow YOU had better put in
Dat we cali "blnd" drain, as being
cheaper, more durable, and safer thus
avoiding these eternal rat traps, for
horses so often get their legs into holes in
culTerts covered with plank Or fiat stones.
Keep the bitches clear, 50 as 10 carry off
the water and ia the hills cut trenches
from the wheel ut TO the main ditch at
NJ angle Of 45 degrees. This can be done
with pick and hoe on any hard land.
Dig to the depth Of four inches and put
the dirt in the Wheel-rut This trench
answers all The purposes Of large bar
across the road and is much safer and
cheaper and entirely avoids the usual Jerk
Of tie bar, as the ditch cut comes out
side ot the wheel track
Many low places in the road can be
drained and let off pond Of water that
has formed by ridges at the sides some
times by the wind blowing the dirt
among the grass at the margin and it
lodging there and often by the wheels
throwing the water and mud to the edge
Many OF the mud holes can be fully drain
ed with a hoe in three minutes and an
sNer the purpose of large load of gravel.
BE sure and get the small stones out of
The road at least twice year; and get
out the large ones as fast as Your money
will allow Don't think YOUR work done
when your tax is worked out; but when
You see the course OF the water running
down the Travelled path, be sure to turn
II OF when You see a mud hole forming,
drain it, or when you see a small loose
stone in the path get it out by some
means, and thus you will save the wear
Of many carriages, harnesses, and much
orse-tiesh, and also elevate yourself
among mankind, as good highways are a
sure evidence OF worthy manhood in any
community. Exchange.
CULTIVATION OF TOMATOES Several
Of the catalogues issued the present year
by dealers in seeds contain very attractive
pictures of tomatoes trained upon rustic
trellises. Whether it is entirely practical
or not we do not know, but it is said the
product is much improved, not only in
appearance but in quality. A very easy
way Of raising the vines from the dirt and
impartiDg to a small plantation quite an
ornamental appearance is to wait until
the vine begins to fruit and then sur
round each hill with the common shavings
used by furniture dealers as packing for
furniture. Four or five inches in hight
sufficiently spread to give the vines sup
port, not only keep the fruit from being
covered with dirt, but the shavIngs serve
as a mulch, which does not, however, pre-
vent the rain from reaching the roots. An
application Of liquid manure to tomato
vines gives them great vigor