The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-09-15


The United States office of Public
Roads gives out the following infor-
nation: We may recognize the value
of hard and durable roads in all parts
of the country but still the fact re-
mains that for a long time to come
the majority of the roads will be COM
posed of earth Furthermore in about
nine months out of the year the earth
road if properly cared for is reasona-
bly, satisfactory. For many agricul
tural districts it is the only road at
present available. Hence these COM
munities should set themselves seri-
ously to work to learn the best meth
DDS of maintaining earth roads and
of getting the maximum service from
them. Prosperity comes to the coun-
try to a great extent through the pros
perity of the farmers. This fact
strongly suggests the Importance of
giving the earth road every possible
care and attention in it's location,
drainage, construction and mainte-
nance.
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 &C
complished by clearing a sufficient
amount of trees and underground
away from the road. 1t must be re-
membered, however, that sandy and
gravelly roads require moisture, and
in these cases some shade should be
retained. Furthermore, trees are ben
eficial along river banks and on steep
grades subject to washing.
Drainage is one of the most import
ant points to consider in connection
with an earth road. The majority OF
earth roads in all mountainous and
billy districts have too much drain
age. Occasionally road will be
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 we'll 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 CIV
ing it a crown or elevation in the
center of 71a inches above the top OF
the inner slope of the ditch for 70
foot road, and where the hills are
little steep make the crown lO inches
With a crown of about one inch to the
foot from the center to the sides,
bitches which are often built across
the road steep grades to defect the
water will not be needed.
Instead of carrying water across the
road in open bitches, tile or concrete
drains should, if possible, be proy1d-
ed. They should have sufficient ca
pacity and fall to carry the maximum
amount Of water that is expected to
flow through them at any one time
The capacity is increased in proper
ton to the fall, for instance, Pinch
pipe laid on one per cent grade will
carry 1900 gallons per minute, while
the same pipe laid on two per cent
grade will carry $500 gallons per min
ute. Furthermore, a culvert laid flat
will soon fill up, while one having a
good incline will keep itself clear.
In the maintenance of an earth road,
avoid the mistake of changing the
natural order of things. Naturally, the
soil is found on top and the clay on
the bottom. If this order is reversed
in constructing a road, the result Will
be less satisfactory than if the soil
be left at the top of the road, for soil
makes a better surface to a road than
clay. If the road bed is largely clay
sandy soil or clean sand on top. A
covering of to 10 inches of sand upon
clay that persists in breaking up into
deep mudholes will usually be salts
factory and if sand enough be added,
this clay will cease to make mud. If
the roadbed is composed of sand it