The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-07-19

operator can smooth the grade MP
nicely. l have seen grading done by
all kinds of persons. but rarely have |
seen neat job done by one who
thrusts the machine in at full capacity.
few days of such smoothing will
transform the roads of a.l entire town
ship. Holes will be filled, grades
rounded, and the road fitted for that
most luxurious driving-summer travel
on an earth road-a road as much diff
ferent from one not treated as happi-
ness is different from misery.
After the grade is smoothed, the side
bitches should be examined. There
should be suitable outlet to the ditch
wherever the water collects. 1t looks
incongruous at this season to see little
canals of standing water beside the
road. If this must be, why have a
ditch at all? The road machine, if
properly manipulated, can be put to
good service in opening these bitches.
Culverts should be wide enough to
prevent clogging by debris and sod
growths.
In building road that is to be earth
from surface to foundation, 1t is spe-
cially desirable to do the work early in
the year, SO that the earth will become
as compact as possible before winter.
OF all the farces in road building that
have come under my notice, the most
ludicrous is that of improring a stretch
of earth road just before winter. In
evitably the place so treated becomes
terror ito every teamster whenever
there is thaw.
The ability to throw up the highest
grade is a false virtue in this kind of
road-building. High grades mean
much of the subsoil on the surface.
Ordinary subsoil is the poorest mate
rial for a road service in wet weather
The surface soil is much better. The
best earth road l ever saw is carcare-
Gus clay which has never been touched
by scraper or pillow. 1t is Hat from
fence to fence, but it does not become
soft. Were the subsoil dug up from
the sides and placed in the track, MAX
ing grade, the road would be spoiled.
AS rule, only the surface soil from
the side bitches should be used for
grading. This contains more humus
and will not be as impervious to water
as the subsoil is. In case the side
bitches are not deep enough, the sub
Soil should be thrown outside alto
gether 1t is necessary to have good
drainage, but ordinarily the side ditch
es will furnish this. The sides should
slope sufficiently to allow grass to
grow upon them, which will prevent
washing of the grade
A cheap substitute for the road ma
chine is the road hone" This is made
by attaching tongue and whifiletrees
to an oak plank, which is edged with a
strip of steel. The plank should be one
foot wide, eight feet long and two
inches thick The pole should have a
hinged joint to allow a change of an
gle, which will pass the earth to one
side as desired. If used extensively,
provide seat for the driver and use
three horses. This tool will soon paw
for itself in the betterment of the track
surface. 1t will not answer so well for
grading. There are certain soils that
can never be made into good roads,
but scarcely any will not form a
better road if the surface is kept
smooth, the water drained off and the
best earth selected for the track. At
any rate, no road is so hopeless that
the holes cannot be filled when the
weather is dry.-Robert L. Dean, in
Country Gentleman.