Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-01-30
Dragged after each rain, when the

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mud works nicely and does not stick
to the drag, road will acquire dur
ing the season such thick, compact
"hide" that it will turn water, resist
the action of frost, and remain hard
and smooth throughout the year.
The more it is travelled the better it
will be, provided it is dragged after
each rain. Every time the dust
paste is spread over the surface and
then beaten down and hardened the
road is improved. The writer has a
piece of road that has been dragged
for two years. Its shell is 80 thick
and hard that it can scarcely be cut
with an ak. You can wager that
the bottom will not fall out of this
road, no matter how wet the spring
may be. 1t was tested the past
spring by weeks of rainy weather,
bat it held It's own. Other roads
were impossible. Their bottoms fell
out, and they would mire man or
beast. Instead of turning the water
they absorbed it.
Practically all types of soil, bars
ring sand, will make good roads
where the drag is properly used.
Clay and gumbo soils make ideal
earth roads. Most roads are flat !; in
fact, many of them are lower in the
center than at the sides. This con-
dition should be altered either by the
use of the large road workers found
in many communities or by running
the drag at an angle 80 that it will
work little earth toward the mid
die. 1t is essential to have the mid
die of the road at least foot higher
than the edges of the travelled way.
AS the drag does not move much
earth it will take six or eight drag
gings to effect this change, but the
Job could be quickly performed with
a big road-scraper.
A good earth road must be hard,
smooth and oval or convex. A road
will acquire these fundamental char
acteristics and retain them if it is
dragged after each rain. By riding
the drag the driver can regulate the
amount of earth moved toward the
center. The first applications of the
drag will merely knock off the rough
edges, fill in the ruts and provide for
more effective work in the future.
Begin at one side of the road, driv-
ing astride the wagon track; return
over the other track; then work out
toward the sides. 1t may be we'll to
go over it again, working back to-
ward the middle and moving consid-
cradle earth toward that part. Each
dragging will suggest how the next
one should be regulated.
Two types of drags are commonly
used. One is the split-log, the other
is the plank drag. Both are salts
factory. More depends upon the
frequency and time of use than upon
the style of drag. AS logs suitable
for drags are not conveniently avail
able in many sections, the plank drag
is adopted. The cost is from an
hours work up to So, depending on
the materials used and the labor en-
ployed. Any farmer can make a
drag.
The split-log type is made by
splitting log ten to twelve inches
in diameter and about nine feet long
Avoid heavy wood, rs oak. Though
not essential, it is better if the log
splits straight. 1t will then better
adapt itself to the purpose IN view
Bore holes in the front half or slat
80 that forward slant will be given
the lower part of its face. The holet
in the rear slab may be bored
straight. Two-inch holes are ad.
vised. The two slabs are held to-
gether by means of three braces with
slightly tapering ends driven into
the holes, split and wedged. Drive
the wedges in crosswise of the grain
of the wood. Toe-nailing might be
resorted TO if necessary. The braces