The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1908-02-22

learn the best methods OF maintain
ing earth roads and of getting The
maximum service from them. Pros
peritv comes to the country to a
great extent through the prosperity
of the farmers. This fact strongly
suggest the importance of giving the
earth roads every possible care and
attention in its location, drainage,
and maintenance.
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 a road Will
easily indicate. This should be ac-
complished by clearing sufficient
amount of trees and underground
away from the road. 1t must be
remembered, however, that sandy
and gravelly roads require moisture,
and in these cases some shade should
be retained. Furthermore, trees are
beneficial along river banks and on
steep grades subject to washing.
Drainage is one of the most i'm
por,ant points to consider in con-
nection with an earth road. The
majority of earth roads in all noun
famous and hilly districts have toe
much drainage. Occasionally a
road will be found with five bitches
three in the middle, made by the
horses hoofs and by the wheels OF
the vehicles, and two on the sides.
All we'll Constructed earth roads are
supposed to have no more than two
bitches, one on each side OF the trav-
eled roadway. Keep the water out
of the middle of the road by giving
it a crown or eleva ion in the center
of 7 1-2 inches above the top of the
inner slope of the ditch for a 20-fOot
road, and where the hills are a lit
tie steep make the crown 10 inches.
With a crown of about one inch tC
the foot from the center to the sides
the bitches which are often built
across the road on steep grades to
defect the water will not be needed
Instead of carrying water across the
road in open bitches. tile or con.
crete drains should, if possible, be
provided. They sho"ld have suffi-
cient capacity and fail to carry the
maximum amount of water that Is
expected to flow. through them al
any one time. The capacity is in
creased in proportion to the fall OF
grade; for instance, 12-inch pipe
laid on a one per cent grade will
carry 1,S00 gallons per minute
while the same pipe laid on pei
cent grade will carry $500 gallons
per minute. Furthermore, culver
laid fiat will soon fill up, while one
having a good incline will keep it
self clear.
In the maintenance of an eartf
road, avoid the mistake of changing
the natural order of things. Natur
ally the soil is found on top anC
the clay ON the bottom. If this or
der is reversed in constructing /;
road. the result will be less satisfac
tory than if the soil be left at thu
top of the road, for soil makes bet
ter surface to a road than clay. /
the road bed is largely clay to star
with, it will be well to place sand!
soil or clean sand on top. A cover
ing of to 10 inches of sand upol
clay that persists in breaking III
/ into deep mudholes will usually b.
satisfactory, and if sand enough b.
added, this clay will cease to MAKE
mud If the roadbed is composed
of sand it can be improved by an ap
plication of clay.
The rule for a serviceable eartl
road, then, is as follows: Maxi
bitches on each side and keep then
open; haul sand and gravel upon sec
j lions needing his treatment; use ;
road machine and split log drag jul
diciously "a full description o.
/ which will be contained in a late
! article); follow the stitch in time
rule and give an earth road the SAM
( careful, persistent attention yol
would give your prize acre, a factor
or a store, and it will pay as larg
a profit in proportion to your ind
vidual outlay.