Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-06-24
HOW TO WORK ROADS
EXPERT ADVICE ON THE KEEPING In
CONDITION OF EARTH ROADS.
United States Department Of Agriculture
Offers Practical Advice on Mainten.
ance Of Public Roads.

We may recognize the value of hard
and durable roads in all parts Of the
country, but still the fact remains
that for long time to come the
majority of the roads will be com.
posed of earth. Furthermore, in
about nine months ont of the year, the
earth road. if properly cared for. is
reasonably satisfactory. For many
agricultural districts. it is the only
road at present available. Hence.
these communities should set them
selves seriously to work to learn the
best methods 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 farmers.
This fact strongly suggests the impor-
tance of giving the earth road every
possible care and attention in its loca-
tion. drainage, construction 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 re-
membered, 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 impor-
tant poiAts to consider in connection
with an earth road The majority of
earth roads in all mountainous and
hilly 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 well-constructed earth
roads are supposed to have no more
than two bitches, one on each side of
the travelled roadway. Keep the
water ont of the middle of the road
by giving it crown or elevation in
the center of 1-2 inches above the
top of the inner slope of the ditch
for a 20-foot road, and where the hills
are a little steep make the crown 10
inches. With crown of about inch
to 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 concrete
drains should, il possible, be provid-
ed. They should have sufficient capa-
city 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
tion to the fall or grade; for instance.
10 inch pipe laid on one per cent
grade will carry 1890 gallons per
minute. while the same pipe laid on a
2 per cent grade will carry 1850 gal
Ions per minute. Furthermore, a
culvert laid fat will soon fill up,
while one having good incline will
keep itself clear.
In the maintenance of an earth
road, avoid the mistake OF changing
the natural order of things. Natural
ly the soil is found on top and the
clay on the bottom. II this order is
reversed in constructing q road, the
result will be less satisfactory than if
the soil be left at the top of the road,
for soil makes better surface to a
road than clay. If the road bed is
largely clay to start with, it will be
well to place sandy soil or clean sand
on top. A covering of 6 to 10 inches
of sand upon clay that persists in
breaking up into deep mudholes will
usually be satisfactory, and If sand
enough be added, this clay will cease
to make mud. II the roadbed is CON-
posed of sand it can be improved by
an application of clay.
The rule for serviceable earth
road, then, is as follows: Make
bitches on each side and keep them
open; haul sand and gravel upon SEQ
tions needing this treatment; use a
road machine and split log drag
judiciously; follow the "stitch in
time" rule and give al earth road the
same careful persistent attention you
would give your prize acre. factory or
store. and 1t will pay rs large profit
in proportion to your individual out
lay.