The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-05-19
EARTh.ROADS.
Good Highways. Cheaply Made, . So nrc
of Wealth to the Farmers.

Good Highways. Cheaply Made, So nrc
OF Wealth to the Farmers.
There is no country in the world
where the making of roads is so close
ly related to the improvement of the
soil by drainage as the prairie region
of the United States, neither is there
any section where the proper grading
of roads on every quarter-section line,
clear through townships, over hills and
hollows, adds more to the value of the
farms. This Improvement is rendered
comparatively simple by the use of
road-making machines, which are now
so simple and effective that any intelli-
gent man can operate them.
A constant mistake in making earth
roads in all the great prairie regions of
the West, where gravel and stone are
not easily obtained, is from doing the
work piece-meal, little here and a
little there. The proper plan to pur-
sue is for each district of sufficient. size,
, through the road commissioners, to
procure road-machine, which may be
! tried before paying for it. Then, so
far as the work can be accomplished,
properly grade a road, with as careful
ly-graded bitches on each side, uphill
and down and through the hollows, so
far as the district extends, the earth to
be placed in the middle of the road,
! thoroughly graded and compacted with
/ bermes three or more feet between the
grade and bitches. The reason for
leaving the bermes is that the earth of
the grade will gradually spread toward
the bitches, and if these bermes are
not left the earth will spread into
the bitches. If the bermes are left il
gives chance to carry additional
eart,l to the center of the road in re.
pairs. A road once properly made the
grade should be kept intact, high and
well rounded, if of earth, since the per-
feet shedding of water to the bitches is
its measure of economic value.
The reason why roads should be
equally graded over hills as well as
hollows is to keep the water passing
down the roadway in times of heavy
rains. There should be grade enough
to insure the flow of water to the
bitches, since it is better that the
bitches wear, and is also easier to pre-.
vent undue washing of the bitches
than of the road-bed on hillslides. In
the case of side-hills, the ditch on the
upper side is no less necessary. tn.
outfall of water on the outside grade
being allowed to waste itself along tn,
natural declivity.
Thus two important objects are &C
complished: First a perfectly
graded road, which will be fairly per
feet ten or eleven months of the veal
if not allowed to get into disrepair
which may be prevented by passing
over the road at proper intervals with
a suitable horse-machine to fill rut
and keep the road up to grade. Il
gravel or stone, broken to an incl
size. can be obtained, apply it by al
means, for thus you may have per
feet road at minimum cost at all sea
sons of the year. At every depression
it is also essential that the ditch watel
be carried away through the fields to
natural outfall. 1t is no less i'm
pOrtant that through all Sigh
changes of elevation the ditch b,
deepened by narrow channel, so tba
no water can accumulate to stand II
the bitches. CAicGSo Tribune.