The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-18

lever ia the efficacy of the King drag
and has issued poster, describing in
detail the manner of constructing the
drag and Is sending them all over the
state. This poster reads as follows:
THE drag may be made of a log say
8 feet long and inches through, split
in the middle, or of two pieces OF sawed
oak, or other substantial wood, 2xS
inches. After the log is split, giving
two f1at-faced slabs bore three 2-inch
holes in each slab, as shown in the
drawing; connect the slabs, facing the
same direction, with three stakes or
rounded -by-threes long enough
to leave three feet of space between
the slabs after the connecting pieces
have been driven into the holes. Two
or three planks can be nailed to these
pieces affording a place for the driver
to stand and at the same time
strengthen the drag. Use a chain or
strong rope for attachment to the
doubletree. Surprising the drag to face
the west, and assuming that a chain is
used. fasten one end of the chain to or
brace, letting the chain pass over the
top of the slab. If attached to The
face of the slab near the left hand end,
the chain would interfere with the
movement of the dirt toward that end
of the drag. The drag is run at an
angle of about forty-1ve degrees, so
that the dirt can be thrown toward one
side The other end of the chain must
be fastened to the face of the front
! slab near VIII ere the right hand con-
meeting piece comes through, and not
around the connecting piece, as it is IN
the illustration. Shoe about three feet
of the bottom edge Fright hand side)
of the front slab with a piece of Iron
or steel of the right length, about
three inches wide and half inch
thick with one edge sharp or beveled
| Put it on securely, letting the SHARP
edge project over about half an nch
below the edge of the slab.
This slab will enable the drag bet
ter to shave the surface and cut down
the hard ridges which are usually met
with or. roads that have not been kept
smooth A good drag will cost from
almost nothing TOT $3.50. depending on
the material and construction, and last
five or ten years. Anybody can make
one.
Roads should be dragged ten or
Twelve times a year. The time Is after
each soaking rain, so that the drag will
form a smooth mud coat on the sur
face. When the frost is leaving the
ground Is an excellent time. the drag
should be in use then until winter
The work does not interfere with
Ordinary farming operations, as when
+ It is the right time to drag, the soil is
+ too wet, or the conditions unsuited for
field work. 1t is difficult to invent a
good excuse for not dragging Used at
the right time and with proper fire.
belt soils and those Of the clayey or
rolling sections. the drag will make
roads smooth. hard and convex-the
three fundamental characteristics of
an ideal dirt road The process viii
form a sort Of shell or casing over the
surface which Will shed water like d
roof, and by distributing travel over
the entire area, instead of combining it
to the center, the shell will constantly
Increase in solidfty At the outset,
dragging can not be done so rapidly
as when the road has been shaped up
by several sweeps of the drag; after
this preliminary work. the job can be
done in half the time originally re-
ouired. Any boy and farm team can
operate the drag.
IT you don't want to attend to drag
ging your own part of the road. chip
in a trif1e with others and hire some
neighbor who will do the work regu-
1arly at the proper times. Don't be
disturbed If your road doesn't reach
perfection the first year. Keep ever
I lastingly at it. and later on you will be
glad"