The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-01-23
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
Office of Public Roads, Washington, D. {

Office of Public Roads, Washington, D. c.
The U. S. Office of Public Roads will
supply this paper with practical articles
on various features of road building
and maintenance, which will be pub
lished from time to time. Our sub
scribers are urged to give this matter
careful consideration, and are request
ed to forward to this office for trans
mission to the Office of Public Roads
any practical question which they de-
sire answered relating to road construc-
answers will be published by this paper
at suitable intervals.
THE MAINTENANCE OF EARTH ROADS.
We may recognize the value of hard
and durable roads in all parts of the
country, but still the fact remains that
for long time to come the majority of
the roads will be composed of earth.
Furthermore, in about nine months out
of the year, the earth road, if properly
cared for, is reasonably satisfactory.
For many agricultural districts, it is
the only road at present available.
Hence, these communities should set
themselves seriously to work to learn
the best methods of maintaining earth
roads and of getting the maximum SER
vice from them. Prosperity comes to
the country to a great extent through
the prosperity of the farmers. This
fact strongly suggests the Importance
of giving the earth road every possible
care and attention in its location,
drainage, construction and mainte-
nance.
An earth road composed of water
holding soil should be exposed to the
sun and air as freely as possible, as
comparison between the shaded and
sunny portions of such road will easl-
ly indicate. This should be accom-
plished by clearing sufficient amount
of trees and underground away from
the road. 1t must be remembered, how
ever, that sandy and gravelly roads re-
Shade should be retained. Further
more, trees are beneficial along river
banks and on steep grades subject to
washing.
Drainage is one of the most important
points to consider in connection with
an earth road The majority of earth
roads in all mountainous and billy dis
tricts have too much drainage. Occa-
sionally road will be found with FIVE
bitches, three in the middle made by the
horses hoofs and by wheels OF the
vehicles, and two on the sides. All
well constructed earth roads are sup
posed to have no more than two bitches,
one on each side of the travelled road
way. Keep the water out OF the mid
die of the road by giving it a crown or
elevation in the center of 1-2 inches
above the top of the inner slope of the
ditch for 2O-foot road, and where the
hills are little steep make the crown
10 inches. With crown OF about
inch to the foot from the center to the
sides, the bitches which are often built
across the road on steep grades to de
fleet the water will not be needed. In
stead of carrying water across the road
in open bitches, tile or concrete drains
should, if possible, be provided They
should have sufficient capacity and tall
to carry the maximum amount OF water
that is expected to flow through them
at any one time. The capacity is i'll,
creased in proportion to the fall or
grade: for instance, u inch pipe aid on
a ole per cent grade will carry l,SO0
gallons per minute, while the same
pipe laid on a , per cent grade VIII
carry 800 gallons per minute. Further
more, a culyert laid fat will soon fill up,
while one having "a good incline viii
keep itself clear.
In the maintenance Of an earth road,
avoid the mistake of changing the
natural order of things. Naturally tile
soil is found on top and the clay on the
bottom. II this order is reversed III
constructing IA road, the result Will be
less satisfactory than if the soil be LETT
at the top of the road, for soil makes a
better surface to road than clay. If
the road bed is largely clay to start
with it will be well to place sandy SOIL
or clean sand on top. A covering OF d
to 10 inches of sand upon clay that per
sists in breaking up into deep mud
holes will usually be satisfactory, and
if sand enough be added, tins clay Will
cease to make mud. If the roadbed is
composed of sand it can be improved 10y
an application of clay.
The rule for a serviceable earth road,
then, is as follows: make bitches on
each side and keep them open; haul
sand and gravel upon sections needing
this treatment; use road machine and
a split log drag judciously "a full de-
scription of which will be contained IN
a later article); follow the stitch In
time" rule and give an earth road the
same careful persistent attention you
would give your prize acre, factory or
store, and it will pay as large a profit in
proportion to your individual outlay.