The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-06-11

How to Build and Use the spIit-Log
Drag.
One of the latest publications issued
by the Office of Public Roads of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture treats of the split-log drag, an
implement which numerous expert
ments have conclusNely shown to be
the greatest possible boon to keep
earth roads smooth and passable. Be-
cause of its simplicity, it's efficiency
and its cheapness, both in construction
and operation, it is destined to come
more and more into general use. With
the drag properly built and its use
well understood, the maintenance of
earth roads becomes simple and mex
pensiye matter.
At the present time there are APP
proximately 100000 miles of earth
roads in the United States. Some of
the most important of these roads will
eventually be improved with stone,
gravel, and other materials. Many 9TH
ers which are equally important can
not be so improved on account of lack
of funds or suitable materials, while
still others will not require such treat
ment because of the light traffic to
which they are subjected. For these
reasons the majority of our roads must
be maintained as earth roads for many
years to come. This must be done by
inexpensive methods and the, split-log
drag will be powerful aid If economy
is the criterion demanded.
In the construction of this nipple
ment, care should be taken to make it
so light that one man can lift it with
ease, light drag responding more
rapidly to various methods of hitching
than a heavy one, as well as to the
shifting OF the position of the oper
ator. The best material for split-log
drag is dry red cedar log, though
red elm and walnut are excellent, and
box elder. soft maple, or even willow
are superior to oak, hickory, or ash.
The log should be between Z and 10
feet long and from 10 to " inches in
be split carefully as near the centeEas
possible, and the heaviest and best
slab chosen for the front. In the front
slab inches from the end which is
to drag in the middle of the road bore
a Pinch hole which is to receive a
cross stake. At a distance of % inches
from the other end, of the front slab
aocate the, CENTER for another cross
stake. The hole for the middle stake
will be on line connecting and half.
way between the two. Then place the
back slab in position and from the end
which is to drag IN the middle of the
road measure 20 inches for the center
of one cross stake and inches from
the other end locate the center of the
opposite stake. The hole for the CEN
between the two. All these holes
should be carefully bored perpendicu-
lar or at right angles to the face of
the split log.
If these directions are followed it
will be found that when the holes of
the front and back slabs are brought
opposite each other, one end of the
back slab will be 16 inches nearer the
center OF the roadway than the front
one. That gives what is known as
'iset back" The stakes, which are 30
inches long, will hold the slabs this
distance apart. When the stakes have
been firmly wedged into their sockets
a brace about 2 inches thick and A
inches wide may be placed diagonally
to them at the ditch end of the drag.
A cleated board is placed between the
slabs and across the stakes for the
driver TO stand on.
BY many it is deemed best to place
strip of iron along the lower face or
the front slab for cutting blade and
to prevent the drag from wearing. The
drag may be fastened to the 'doubletree
by means of trace chain. The
chains should be wrapped around the
left-hand or rear stake and passed over
the front slab. Raising the chain at
this end of the slab permits the earth
u uTIiI past tle lace Ol IHe uTdB. lie
other end of the chain should be pass
ed through hole in the opposite end
of the front slab and held by a pin
passed through link.
For ordinary purposes, the hitch
should be so made that the unloaded
drag will follow the team at an angle
of about AS degrees. The team should
be driven with one horse on either
side of the rignt-hand wheel track or
rut the full length of the portion to be
dragged, and made to return in the
same manner over the other half of the
Such treatment will move
the earth towards the center of the
roadway and raise 1t gradually above
the surrounding level.
The best results have been obtained
by dragging roads once each way after
each heavy rain. In some cases. how.
ever, one dragging every three or four
weeks has been found sufficient TO keep
a road in good condition.
When the soil is moist but not sticky
the drag does its best work. AS the
soil in field will bake If ploughed wet,