The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-01-23
TIE MAINTENANCE or EARTH
ROADS.
Faluztle Information Seat Out by
Government Experts On This
Important Subject.

fhs Z Oaee II Public Roads 81
s@rp lh4 paper with practical ant
sif pn la5apst features u rpad buiiA
aR sad maintenance whieh all b,
Published 'fam tame b. time Oar sab
ssTibsr ssv urged - give iha matter
safttal confederation, and arr request.
81 " torHsnd y ihis 0iflco Coz lrads.
mi@4of "a ne oa.ce n Publie Roads
SOY EtAgtoai gsesiioa which they de-
Fin saswfSod relating 10 road con.
Hrocilol hnd maintenance Questions
aaa aHswers vjll Ne Published by This
pager q sgitable Intervals.
81 Ssnu i
IHF NAINTENAyef or EARN ROADS.
We may recognize lhe vhloe " hard
apd durable roads 10 all parts o. The
ennntrY. but SUI the fact remains that
inf lang time " come The majority Of
tif roads W.l be- composed of earth.
Furthermore Ia about nine months out
q lhe year ihe earth road. II properly
CARED Tor, b reasonably satisfactory.
fof many agricultural districts, il is
ibe only road At present available.
Hence these communities should sci
themselves seriously 10 work 10 learn
tbt best methods u maintaining earth
toads and u getting lhe maximum ser.
wee from ibem. Prosperity comes 10
The ronniry 10 II great extent through
lhe prosperity Of The farmers This |
Tact strongly suggests The Importance
~ giving The earth road every possible |
care and attention IN its location, drain.
age construction and maintenance.
An earth road composed Of water
hoidng soil should be exposed 10 the
sun and air a. freely as possible. as
comparison between the shaded and |
sunny portions 81 such road will cas-
lly Indicate This should be accom-.
plished by clearing a sufficient amount,
Of trees and underground away from
The road II must be remembered. |
hoWeser,ihAl sandy and Rravelly roads |
require moisture. and in these eases
some shade should be retained. Fur
ihernore, trees are beneficial along |
river banks aud on steep grades sub.
Jcei 10 washing
Drainage Is one Of the most impor.
iabt points 10 consider in connection
With an earth road. The majority Of
earth roads IN all mountainous and
bully districts have too much drainage.
Occasionally a road will be found with
five bitches, three 10 the middle made
by the horses hoofs and by wheels OF
The vehicles, and two on the sides. All
well'construcied earth roads are sup
posed 70 have no more than two bitches,
one on each side Of the travelled road.
way, Keep the water ont Of the mid
die Of the road by giving il n crown or
elevation IN the center Of ~ inches
above the top Of the inner slope Of the
ditch for a 20fool rood, and where the
hills are q little steep make the crown
IN inches With crown of about one
inch TO the foot from the center to the
sides, the bitches which are often built
across the road on steep grades 10 de-
ileet tho water will not be needed. In
stead Of carrying water across the road
IN open bitches. tile or concrete drains
should, Il possible. be provided. They
should have sufficient capacity and fall $
.o carry the maximum amount of water
hat Is expected 70 flow through them
i amy one time The capacity is in
roased Ia proportion 10 the fall or {
.radc; fof instance, l2-inch pipe laid =
u one per cent gfade will carry | 500 Y
alions per minute, while the same pipe u
I'd on two per cent grade will carry .
900 gallons per minute. Furthermore.
calvert laid fat will soon iill up. while
ne having a good incline will keep il. Ii
II clear.
10 the maintenance Of an earth road, :;
void the mistake Of changing the :,
atnral order u things. Naturally the :
nj Is found on top aud the clay on the
Alom. II this order is reversed in -
q road, the result will be ~
- satisfactory than il the soil be left
the TOP 81 the road, for soil makes Y
.sier surface TO a road than clay. II ch
"a road bed is largely clay TO start 70
ID. a viii be vel 10 place sandy soil
clean sand on top. a covering Of 6 To-
10 inches Of sand upon clay that per. b,