The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-08-31
GOOD ROADS.


reason that he has occasion to use them
to greater or less extent in the prose
| cutiOn OF his business. And the last
may often outweigh the first in dollars
and cents, when it is taken into consid-
GRAFTON the moving OF heavy loads for
q considerable distance over poor roads.
Here is a view of the case that should
not be lost sight of: It is lot those
alone who drive for pleasure or buei
| ness over our highways that should
ask FOR or demand their improved coz
dition. This is for their interoet aud
convenience, it Is true, and rightly TOO,
ou5 the farmer who has to move his
lrJdu,e to market or place Of chip
me2C, or in the daily prosecution Of MS
work needs to use the road, gains or
loses IN this direction in accvrdRnce
| with their good or bad cauci5i0a.
Good roads in such cases means the
saving Of time, the greater durability
IF vehicles and the wear Of teams.
Nov the farmer, to Say nothing OF
the others. can eff0rd to pay a fair or
hbera! road tax, provided he is assured
that it will be so expended as to result
in q corresponding improved condition
Of the ROADS.
Nothing will so SO far toward recon
Cling farmers Or others to the payin
of what they might term large high
way tax, as to find that it is b3iDg
faithfully expended, and above all that
a certain amount is devoted to improve
mants Of a permanent character each
year Tnis Ia evidence that cannot be
overlooked or refuted, but is an ever
present fact, monument to the skill
and faitbfulness Of the intelligent road
maker. We want just ali of this kind
of work that can practically be devoted
to the purpose.
Here in Vermont one fifth of the tax
for roads is to be put into improve
ments OF q permanent chaT5 cser. This
is largely used in cutting down end
lengthening the grade Of hills, or in the
BUILDING otstone or mRcadamized roads.
What little Of this kind of work that
has been done since the new road law
went into effect, has proven so salts
factory that 1t makes ug wish that the
good work could have been commenced
many years ago, then we should now
have something worth while to show
for the expenditure Of SO much money.
Here where stone is plenty and not
too far away, it costs from four to FIVE
dollsrs a rcd to build a good road,
something that should last many years,
only requiring a little attention in
keeping the bitches open and tine COW
eriDg In order.
Taking the worst pieces of road first,
it will soon be found that commend able
progress is being made as these places
were always requiring attention and
neAer long in q satisfactory condition.
Good drainage for roads should be
sought for, as this is Of the first i'm,
por5aEce. The bitches should be plac d
we'll back from the road bed, so as 80
prevent undertaking or gullYing
Hllls should Dc carefully looked after
emu the grade made as easy as poaslble.
The surface of the road should be
somewhat rounded, so that the water
may readily pass eff at the sides, rather
than run along in the wheel tracks,
washing away the dirt and forming
holes and gullies. The surface should
also be kept clear Of small stones that
are always so troublesome. Passing
over the roads once a month for this
purpose should be more generally prac-
tIced.
Small repairs should always be at
tended TO in season, as in this way
large expense can often be saved.
1t VII pay to 60 two miles, if it can
not be obtained nearer, to get gravel
with which to fill bad pisces in roads.
In parts of the country where stone
T! IS scarce and gravel can be had, good
roads can be made by using this ma,
tsrial plentitully on the surface. OF
course tais m8ans that the road bed is
first put in good condition for the
gravel. Thia method is used to some
extent 81 the west, aud oven here IN
the East, where stone abound, where
it can be conveniently obtained, is
much priced.
1t Is possible that in the future port
able stone crushing machines will be
largely used in road making in the
country, by means of which this plen-
tiful material can be put to some use
ful purpose.
Above all things, it should be the
purpose to get the best men possible