Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-01-31
The Maintenance of Earth Roads.

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 a long time t.
come the MAJORITY of the roads will
be composed of earth. Further
more, in about nine months out OF
The year, the earth road, if proper
" cared for, is reasonably satisfac-
tory. For many agricultural dis
lricts, it is the only road at present
available. Hence, these commune
ties should set themselves serious
ly to work to learn the best meth
DDS Of maintaining earth roads and
of getting the maximum service
from them. Prosperity comes to
the country to great extent
through the prosperity of the farm
ers. This fact strongly suggests
the importance of giving the earth
road every possible care and atten'
ton in it's location, drainage, con-
struction ard maintenance.
An earth road composed of wa
ter holding soil should be exposed
to the sun and air as freely as pos
sible, as comparison between the
shaded and sunny portions of such
road will easily indicate. This
should be accomplished by clearing
sufficient amount of trees and
undergrowth away from the road.
It must be remembered, however,
that sandy and gravelly 'roals re-
ouire moisture, and in these cases
some shade should be retained.
Furthermore, trees are beneficial
along river banks and Oh steep
grades subject to washing.
Drainage is one of the most I'M
portant points to consider in COLI
nection with an earth road. The
majority of earth roads in all
mountainous aud billy districts
have too much drainage. Occas
sionaliy a road will he 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 supposed to have
no more than two bitches, one on
each side of the Travelled roadway.
Keep the water out Of the middle
Of the road by giving it crown OF
elevation in the center of = inches
above the top Of the inner slope OF
the ditch for 20-foot road. and
where the hills are a little steep
make the crown 10 inches. With
a crown Of about / inch to thu
foot from the center to the sides
the bitches which are often bull
across the road ON steep grades t.
defect the water will not be need
ed. Instead of carrying wate
across the road in open bitches, till
or concrete drains should, if posi-
BILE, be provided. They should hav
sufficient capacity and fall to carr
the maximum amount Of watel
that is expected to flow throug
them at any one time. The capac
| ity is increased in proportion to tn
fall or grade: for instance, l2-incl
pipe laid on one per cent. grad
will carry 1,S0O gallons per min
ute. while the same pipe laid on
two per cent. grade will carry 2,5O
gallons per minute Furthermore
| culvert laid fiat will soon fill up
while one having a good lnclin
will keep itself clear.
In the maintenance Of an eartl
road, avoid the mistake OF chang
ing the natural order OF things
| Naturally the sell is found on to
and the clay on the bottom.
| this order is reversed in construct
ling a road, the result will be les
satisfactory than Il the soil be LET
at the top of tke road, for so
makes better surface to a roa
than clay. Ifthe roadbed is large
| ly clay to start with, i will be we
to place sandy Soil orselean sand o
top. A covering Of 6to 10 inch'
of sand upon clay that persists