The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-02-27
FARM AND GARDEN.
KEEPING ROADS GOOD,



English ASSOCIATION.
The Road improvement association,
of London, England, recently issued a
circular containing II rules for the guild
ance of roadmasters in keeping mac
adam and telford roads in proper re-
pair, as follows:
1. Never allow a hollow, a rut or n
puddle to remain on a road, but fill it up
at once with chips from the stone heap.
2. Always use chips for patching and
for all repairs during the summer sea-
son.
3. Never put fresh stones on the road
If, by cross-piclling and a thorough use
of the rake, the surface can be made
smooth, and kept at the proper strength
and section.
a. Remember that the rake is the most
useful tool in your collection, and il
should be kept at hand the whole year
round.
5. Do not spread large patches Of
stone over the whole width of the road,
but coat the middle or horse track first.
and when this has worn in coat each of
the sides in turn.
6. In moderately dry weather and on
hard roads always pick up the old sur
face into ridges six inches apart, and
remove all large and projecting stones
before applying a new coating.
Z. Never spread stones more than one
stone deep, but add a second layer when
the first has worn in, il one coat be not
enough.
s. Never shoot stones upon the road
and crack them where they lie, or a
smooth surface will be out of the ques-
ton.
9. Never put a stone upon the road
for repairing purposes that will not free
ly pass in every direction through two
inch ring, and remember that smaller
stones should be used for patching and
for all slight repairs.
10. Recollect that hard stones should
be broken to finer gauge than soft, but
that the two-inch gauge is the largest
that should be used under any circum.
stances where no steam roller is EN-
ployed.
II. Never be without your ring gauge:
remember Macadam's advice, that any
stone you can not easily put into your
mouth should be broken smaller.
~. Use chips, if possible, for bind.
ing newly-laid stones together, and re-.
member that road sweepings, horse
droppings, soda or grass and other rub,
Dish, when used for this purpose, will
ruin the best road ever constructed.
10. Remember that water-worn OF
rounded stones should never be used
upon steep gradients, or they will fail
to bind together.
IA. Never allow dust or mud TO lie on
the surface of the roads, for either of
these will double the cost of main.
tenance.
Is. Recollect that dust becomes mud
at the first shower, and that mud forms
wet blanket which will keep the road
in filthy condition for weeks at a time,
instead of allowing it to dry in a few
hours.
16. Remember that the middle of
the road should always be little high
er than the sides, SO that rain may run
into the side cutters at once.
II. Never allow the water tables. gut
ters and bitches to clog up, but keep
them clear the whole year through.
Every roadmaster and supervisor
should cut these rules out and paste
them in his everyday hat. To make a
good road is one thing and to keep it in
good repair is quite another thing.
The finest roads in Europe are the re
suit of splendid repair system where
every defect is promptly corrected be-
fore 1T has time to cause serious damage
to the highway.