The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1908-08-26
DRAINAGE,
Tiles Are Best For Gravel or
Stone Roads.
SOME polNTs ON THE WORK.

fz3se-f sissat lNSkStAS iSeNNANsSs tr
SOME POINTS ON THE WORK.
Underdrainase Below Surface With
= FarmtTiles q Great Prcseetion--slde
r. bitches That Hold Water Make an
lnfsrior Roadway.
Tile Drainage. says Professor Ira o.
iBnker, Is the Very best preparation for
gravel or stone road. Gravel or
broken stone placed upon an undrained
/ Foundation Is almost sure to sink grad
Iually, whatever its thickness, whereas
a thinner layer upon an underdrained
roadbed viii give much better service.
lt1toads tiled without gravel are better
than roads graveled without tilo."
| The road should be underdrained SO
as to keep the water level well below
! It's road surface. In most localities
I'd is IAN he accomplished reasonably
we'll by laying line of farm tile three
or three and half feet below the road
surface along one side of the road
way. 1t is sometimes claimed that
there should be tile on each side OF
the road.
Some writer's on good roads advocate
the use of a line of tile under the mid
die of the Travelled portion, and some
advocate line on each side of the
wheclway. The object sought by these
tiles Is rapid drainage, and therefore 1t
is urged that they should be laid near
the surface. 1t Is doubtful whether
any water will reach the tile, since the
road surface when wet is puddled by
the traffic, which prevents the water
percolnting through the soil, and 1t Is
certain that in clay or loan the drain
nge thus obtained is of no practical
value. More than one farmer has tried
to drain his barnyard by laying tile
near the surface, always without APP
Ipreclable effect.
While line OF tile on one side OF
tho road is usually sufficient there is
often great difference as to the side
on which 1t should BIO laid. If one side
OF the road Is higher than the other,
the tile should bo on the high side to
intercept the ground water that is
flowing down tho slope under the sur
face.
The tile should be laid in the bottom
of the silt ditch below the frost line.
or course the tile should have uni
form grade and sufficient fall and an
adequate outlet. The size of the tile
required Will depend upon the length
of tho line and the grade OF tho ditch,
but local experience In farm drainage
is likely to DO better guide than any
general statement that can be made.
l. H.,n L. ali yf In N
prcccdc foad drainage in my particu-
lar locality.
The side bitches are to receive the
water from the surface of the Travelled
way and should carry 1t rapidly and
entirely away from tho roadside. They
nre useful also to intercept and carry
off the water that would otherwise
flow from the side hills upon the road.
Ordinarily they need not be deep and
if possible should have broad, far
Ing side toward the Travelled way to
prevent accident II n vehicle should be
crowded to the extreme side OF the
roadway. The outside bank should be
fiat enough to prevent caying. The
proper form OF ditch Is easily made by
the usual road machine or road grad
err. Tho side ditch should have free
outlet into some stream 80 as to carry
the water entirely, away from the road
No good road can be obtained with
side bitches that hold the water until
1t eyaporates.
Much alleged road work is posi-.
tive damage for this reason. Piling up
the earth in the middle OF the road is
perhaps in itself we'll enough, but leay-
Ing undrained holes at tho side OF the
road probably more than counterbal-
nnces the benefits of tho embankment
a road between long artificial ponds is
always inferior and is often impassa-
BILE. 1t Is cheaper and better to make
lower etnbankmcnt and to drain
thoroughly the holes at the side Of the
roads. OFTEN the public funds can be
moro wisely used In making bitches in
adjoining private lands thnn In max
ing ponds ut tho roadside in an at
tempt to improve the road by raising
tho surface.