Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-06-10
King Road Drag, Officially Recognized

The National Department of Ag-
riculture has recently issued a bull
etin in which ID. Ward King, Of
Missouri, (who invented and brought
to public attention the merits Of this
now generally recognized road max
ing tool, tells the best methods of
constructing and using it. The fol-
lowing is, in substance, what he
says:
"The successful operation of q
drag involves two principles, which.
when thoroughly understood andsin-.
telligently applied, make road work
ing with this implement very simple
The FIRST concerns, the length and
position Of the hitch, while the sec..,
ond deals with the position Of the
driver on the drag. Each influences
the other to large extent, and sue
cessful manipulation of the drag is
dependent upon an understanding
of both of them.
"For ordinary purposes the snatch
link or clevis should be fastened far
enough toward the blade end of the
chair to force the unloaded drag to
follow the team at an angle of 45
degrees. This willcause the earth to
move along the face of the drag
smoothly and will give comparative.
| ly light draft to the team, provided
the driver rides in the line of draft.
Sometimes. however, conditions are
met which require special treatment,
and in rolling country such con-
ditions are not infrequent. Often a
a fiat place several rods in length or
a seepy spot needs special attention.
"lhe distance from the drag at
which the team is hitched affects the
depth of the cutting. Shortening the
chain tends to lift the front slab
from the ground; a long hitch caus-
es the blade to cut more deeply.
The length Of hitch may be regu-
lated by lengthening and shorten
ing the chain end which runs through
the hole in the blade of the drag. II
small weeds are to be cut or a furrow
of earth il to be moved, the double.
tree should be attached close to the
ditch end Of the drag. The drag will
now move nearly ditch end foremost
and the driver should stand with one
foot on the extreme forward end Of
the front slab. This will swing the
drag to the proper angle and viii
cause the blade to plow. This hitcf
requires slow and careful driving in
order to prevent the drag from Tip
ping forward. II the blade should
j plow too deeply as it may do in ,
, wet spot, the driver should shift hi,
: weight toward the back slab. Il
straw and weeds clog the blades
they can usually be removed if tn
: driver shifts his weight to point a
far as possible from the ditch o
blade end. Similarly, if he step
quickly away from the ditch end
the load OF earth may be dropped in
J. to low place or mud hole.
"Some attention should be giyel
to the edge Of the blade. In the be
/. ginning, the average earth road re
quires no steel plate on the drag
: although the drag will be bette
8 preserved if the steel is applied a
: first At the end Of a years work,
: the dragging has been faithful
: done, steel plate will be needed
9 If the twist Of the log is properl
!. used, or the three-cornered strip {
], wood is placed under the blade,
d fiat piece of steel will answer. l
case the blade stands perpendicula
o it should be slightly cupped whe
k sharpened.
2 Usually two horses are enoug
: to pull drag over an ordinar
N earth road. When four horses al
y used, they should be hitched TO til
II drag by means of four-horse ever
1t er. The team should be driven wit
b ono horse on either side of the righ
o handed wheel track or rut the flu
1t length of the portion to be dragge
and the return made over the 9TH
8 half of the roadway. While this
M being accomplished, all mud hol
and ruts will be filed, into Whit