The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-10-04

YioRGeu IOr Gnree weeks, ana at Cno
end of three years it was immensely
improved over its condition at the end
of the first years work I studied the
result of each step in my experiment
and finally learned that three elements
are required to make q perfect earth
road and that the lack Of any one of
them is fatal to the result. To be per-
feet an earth road must be at one and
the same time oval, hard and smooth.
All of these indispepsables are acquired
by the use of the split-log drag in any
soil that I have ever come in contact
with-and have worked in the various
kinds OF clay soil. in the gumbO of the
swampy lowlands and in the black mud
of the prairies.
Observation of my experiment taught
me that two weeks of rain would not
put this bit of road in bad condition at a
time when the highway at either end
of it was impossible for wagon. OF
course, it was plain that the reason the
road was not bad was thai there was no
mud in it. But why mud would not col
lect in 1t was not clear to me until i
was taught my lesson by the very hum
bic means of the hog wallow. One day
chanced TO notice that water was
standing in one of these Wallows long
after the ground all about it had be-
come dry. Probably I had many times
before observed this fact, but not until
now had 1t occurred to me to inquire
into its cause. Examining the edges OF
the wallow, was impressed with the
fact that 1t was almost as hard as piece
of earthenware. Clearly this was be-
cause the wallowing of the hogs had
mixed or ''puddled" the earth and the
water together, forming a kind of
cement which dried into hard and
waterproof surface.
The next important lesson in my un-
derstanding of the real elements of road |
making was taught me by studying
what we farmers call "a spouty spot"
in the side of clay hill. All who live
in clay country know the unspeaksble |
sickness of one of these spouty places,
and are familiar with the fact that, af-
ter ten days or two weeks of bright, |
hot sunshine, you can take an axe and |
break from one of these spots clod so
hard that with it you can almost drive a |
nail into plank. Naturally, |
it occurred to me that, if this puddled |
clay soil would stay hard for the months |
when left in a rough condition, 1t would |
surely stay longer if moulded into the |
form of smooth roof, 80 that the wa
ter which fell upon it would easily run
off.
This original half-mile of road was
dragged steadily for four years before |
l had single active recruit in my new |
crusade. At first my neighbors poked |
good-natured fun at me, probably be-
cause the thing was new and SO absurd
ly simple-and, perhaps, also, because
did the work without pay or any ex-
pectation of it. Road-making in the
country, it may be well to explain, Is
not generally followed as fashionable
philanthropy or popular diversion.
From the outset of this work, 80 many
questions have poured in upon me indi-
eating points concerning which ..the
public is prone to go astray in its un-
derstanding Of how to build and use the
split-log drag that have prepared the
following road dragging "catechism'
as covering, with fair completeness,
the main working facts in the prob
lem:
Would it not be better to plow the
road before dragging?
No. Flowing gives soft foundation.
Flowing the middle of the road is relic
of the old dump -scraper days.
What do you do when there are deep
ruts in the road?
Drag them. If you drag when the
surface is quite loose and soft, you will
be surprised how soon the ruts disap-
pear.
How do you get the dirt to the mid
die of the road?
By hauling the drag slantwise with
the end that is toward the centre of the
road little to the rear of the othe end,
But suppose the road is too narrow?
First drop the wheel tracks. After
three or four rains or wet spells, pillow
shallow furrow just outside the dragged
part. Spread this over the road with
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