Connecticut western news., 1908-06-11
HOW ID BUILD THE
 SPLIT LOG DRAG
IS SIMPLE, EFFICIENT AND CHEAP
It is of Great Assistance in the Con- struction and Maintenance of Earth Roads "A Cost Reducer.

Roads s-A Cost Reducer.
 Especial correspondence to The News.
 One of the latest publications issued by the Office of Public Roads of the United States Department of Agricul- ture treats of the split-log drag, an i'm plement which numerous experiments have conclusively shown to be the great est possible boon to keep earth roads smooth and passable. Because of its simplicity, its efficiency and its cheap ness, both ill construction and operation, it is destined to come more and more in- to general use. With the drag properly built and it's use we'll understood, the maintenance of earth roads becomes a simple and inexpensive matter.
 In the construction of this implement, care should be taken to make 1t so light that one man can lift it with ease, a light drag responding more readily to various methods of hitching than a heavy one, as we'll as to the shifting of the position of the operator. The best material for split-log drag is dry red cedar log, though red elm and walnut are excellent, and box elder, soft maple, or even willow are superior to oak, hickory, or ash. The log should be be- tween and 10 feet long and from 10 to 12 inches in diameter at the butt end. It should be split carefully as near the center as possible, and the heaviest and best slab chosen for the front. In the front slab 4 inches from the end which is to drag in the middle of the road bore a 2-inch hole which is to receive a cross stake. At a distance of 22 inches from the other end of the front slab, locate the center for another cross stake. The hole for the middle stake will be on 2 line connecting and halfway between the two. Then place the back slab in. position and from the end which is to drag in the middle of the road measure 20 inches for the center of one cross stake and 6 inches from the other end locate the center of the opposite stake The hole for the center stake should be located halfway between the two. All these holes should be carefully bored perpendicular or at right angles to the face of the split log.
 If these directions are followed it will be found that where the holes of the front and back slabs are brought oppo- site each other, one end of the back slab will be 16 inches nearer the center of the roadway than the front sne. That gives what is known as "set back.' The stakes, which are 30 inches long, will hold the slabs this distance apart When the stakes have been firmly wedged into their sockets, brace about 3 inches thick and inches wide may be placed diagonally to them at the ditch end of the drag. A oleated board is placed between the slabs and across the stakes for the driver to stand on.
 By many it is deemed best to place a strip of iron along the lower face of the front slab for cutting blade and to pre- vent the drag from wearing. The drag may be fastened to the doubletree by means of trace chain. The chain should be wrapped around the left-hand or rear stake and passed over the front slab. Raising the chain at this end of the slab permits the earth to drift past the face of the drag. The other end of the chain should be passed through a hole in the opposite end of the front slab and held by a pin passed through link.
 For ordinary purposes, the hitch should be so made that the unloadsd drag will follow the team at an angle of about 45o. The team should be driven with one horse on either side of the right-hand wheel track or rut the full length of the portion to be dragged, and made to return in the same manner over the other half of the roadway. Such treatment will move the earth towards the center of the roadway and raise it gradually above the surrounding level.
 The best results have been obtained by dragging roads once each way after each heavy rain. In some cases, how ever, one dragging every three or four weeks has been found sufficient to keep a road in good condition.
 When the soil is moist but not sticky the drag does its best work, AS the soil in field will bake if ploughed wet. so the road will bake if the drag is used on it when it is wet.
 Not infrequsntly conditions are met which may be overcome by slight change in the manner of hitching Shortening the chain tends to lift the front slab and make the cutting slight, while longer hitch causes the front