The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-07-02
FARM AND GARDEN.
BETTER COUNTRY ROADS.
Farmers Could Do >inch Themselves To-
4 4 ward Securing Them.

FARMERS Could Do inch Themselves To-
ward Securing Them
,asz As soon as the ground is solid after
the last freezes in the spring is the
best time to do the grading. The earth
being still moist, is.more easily manip.
nlated than if the work is done later;
also the new grade becomes more com
pact before winter than it is possible for
1t to be when undertaken at a lat4f
season. With farmers the road prob
lem is practical question. They be-
ieve in good roads with all their
might, but at the same time they
doubt if the improved highway will be
. the cure-all for the farmers ills that
some advocate. They will point ont
communities where every foot of pub.
lie road is pilled, and vet the same hard
times and low prices prevail there as
well as elsewhere.
Hence farmers are not likely TO favor
extravagant levies for building turn
pixies indiscriminately as long as the
financial depression is not lifted.
When the stringency of the times COM
pels them to forego needed improve
ments in the home and on the farm, let
us not berate them for tolerating bad
roads.
While this is granted, there is but
little doubt that farmers could do a
vast deal themselves toward improving
their roads if they would but give the
matter that concern which they be
stow upon their crops and fiocks. There
c "a SiN-1r1i Ia CT oh Of finn ~
county built by farmers themselves.
That is, they did the work largely them
selves. Surely, when we see so many TN
employed teams as we pass through tie
country, and often as many uncm-
ployed men, we cannot escape the COR
clusion that here are forces which may
be economically utilized for making
good roads. -
Since this is true, and since farmers
of the present generation, at least, will
likely have to travel much on the coul-
try roads, it behooves them to inform
themselves of the best methods of max
ing good roads. Hence the agricul-
tural press should give such instruc-
ton as the prominence of the question
deserves. Perhaps heretofore we have
been the victims of overmuch theory,
which has been better demonstrated in
the engineers office than it has been
ny heavy wheels and natures clemens
First of all, the Importance of proper
grading should be appreciated. In
level region this is necessary to afford
adequate drainage. Standing water is
the bane of the roadbed. When a pud
die of water is not tolerated betweBn
the fences and the road the good
roads" era is not far distant. The grade
is fully as important in rough, billy re-
gions. Suppose it does take weeks
scraping and grading to cut down hill
and fill an adjacent valley. Is not the
improvement the most permanent and
economical that can be made? Think
of passing over this place in an easy
trot, where before it was necessary 10
move up and down in a slow walk, and
multiply this BY the saving of time and
force in the next so or 100 years by this
improvement. ~
When the roadbed is properly graded
and adequate drainage secured the
amount of surface material required is
lessened.g If gravel is scarce and
stones are plenty, lay course of the
latter and cover with gravel. First tic
lower course should be we'll settled by
compelling travel upon them after this
add the gravel Such a road will weir
well. The stones used should not be
large.-Robert L. Dean in Farm News.