The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-04-15
IMPROVING COUNTRY
ROADS.

published by The Country Geatleman
in advance of its appearance in the
forthcoming volume Of Transactions Of
the New York State Agricultural
Society:
STRENGTHENING AND GRADING.
In the older portions Of the coun-
try the FIRST roads were often locst-
ed by chance. Perhaps an Indian trail
was followed. The new settler built
his home 10 the forest. and the tortuous
brid!e.p path he followed aiterward be-
came public road, and has for over
two centuries been travelled by thous-
ands The surveyors compass and
chain have never been used upon it.
The curves by which great trees or
other obstacles were avoided still re-
main. Hills and knobs are passed
over in utter disregard of the relative
length of the standing and the horizon
tai kettle-ball, Points that it was once
desirable to reach are no longer Of any
consequence. Many old roads, and not
few of modern construction also, can
be greatly improved, at comparatively
little cost, BY Strengthening here, or
grading down there, and filling up in
another place. Ths moving of large
quantities Of earth is very expensive,
but the exercise of sound JUDGMENT
will readily determine where grading
can be advantageously done.
HIGH GLASS ROADS.
By the simple means already describ.
ed our existing roads can be greatly i'm
proved without the expenditure Of more
labor than the most Of our ayr cultural
districts can we'll afford. But there are
many sections where something better
is required-where there is sufficient
wealth afford to il, or where the inereas.
ed value to property or the attraction to
new corners may make it advisable to
expend larger sums. The higher
classes of roads require large expen-
diture of labor. Where the road is as
straight az is practicable, and has been
judiciously graded and thoroughly
underdrained, We must next add such
materials as will make it more substan-
tial. Where proper gravel is at hand,
it is the cheapest and best material that
can be used. It should be applied, as
already described. over the entire
length Of the road, screened where its
character admits, and thoroughly rolled
after each dressing. Successive dress
ings should be added until solid ADD
durable road bed is obtained. We must
now mention the importance Of having
road materials wet when being rolled,
as it is an important agency in COM
pacting the bed and securing the best
surface. If the ground il wet, it may
afford all the dampness necessary. or
the rolling may be done during or
Immediately after rains. or water may
be applied artifcially. The last is
best done by an ordinary street
sprinkler. But the agency Of water
is necessity, whatever the com-
pacting materials may be.
Where gravel IS not obtainable, or
where still better road bed is re-
quired, We must resort to artifcally
broken stone. This brings us to the
much talked Of European road making.
The writer has carefully examined the
systems of road making and repairing
in Great Britain, and nearly all the
countries on the Continent, and it may
be we'll to state the methods pursued
for the various purposes aimed at. In
the higher class of roads the most care.
full attention is given to thorough
drainage. and the generally accepted
rule is to limit the grade of roads to
one in thirty; that is, to one foot of rise
to thirty of distance. Upon this care
fully graded, drained and compacted
roadway the road materials are placed.
These high class roads are ordinary
stone dressed roads, or the MacAdam
or the Telford roads, according to the
method OF their construction. The
latter are named after their inventors,
or. more correctly, after the engineers
who introduced them into Great Brit
ain. 10 all of these, broken stone is
the chief material employed.
Some kinds of stone are much better
adapted for road purposes than others.
Hard, tough stones are preferable.
Trap. granite. tough lime stone.
quartzose rock and gneiss are preferred,
10 the order named. Machines for
crushing stones to proper size are now
generally used, although hand broken