The log cabin Democrat., 1908-07-09
USE OF THE SPLIT-LOG DRAG
How to Construct Simple Road
 Building Device.
Commended by U. S. Public Roads Depart. ment as Greatest Boon to
 Earth Roads.

One of the latest publications is- sued by the office of public roads of the United States department of agriculture treats of the split-log drag, an implement which numer- ous experiments have exclusively shown to be the greatest possible boon to keep earth roads smooth and passable. Because of its sim plicity, its efficiency and its cheap ness, both ill construction and op- eration, it is destined to come more and more into general use. With the drag properly built and its use we'll understood, the maintenance of earth roads becomes a simple and inexpensive matter.
 In the construction of this i'm plement, care should be taken to make it so light that one man can lift it with ease, a light drag re- spending more readily to various methods of hitching than a heavy one, as we'll as to the shifting of the operator. 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 and 10 feet long and from 10 to 12 inches in diameter at the butt. It should be split carefully as near the center as possible, and the heaviest and best slab chosen for the front. In the front slab 4 inches from the end which is to drag in the middle of the road bore 2-inch hole which is to receive cross stake. At a distance of 22 inches from the other end of the front slab, locate the center for an other cross stake. The hole for the middle stake will be on a line connecting and halfway 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 6 inches from the other end, locate the center of the opposite stake. The hole for the center stake should be carefully bored perpen- dicular 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 slab are brought opposite each other, one end of the back slab will be TO inches nearer the center of the roadway than the center one. That gives what is known as "set 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, brace about inches thick and 4 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 low CT face of the front slab for cut ting blade and to prevent the drag from wearing. The drag may be fastened to the doubletree by means of a trace chain. The chain 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 to drift past the face of the drag. The other end of the chain should be passed 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 un- loaded drag will follow the team at an angle of about 45 degrees. The team should be driven with one horse on either side of the right 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 roadway. Such treatment will move the earth towards the center of the roadway and raise it gradu- ally above the surrounding level.
 The best results have been ob- tained by dragging roads once each way after each heavy rain. In some cases, however, one drag.