The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-04-06
Hints on the Care of Earth Roads.

Hints on the Care of Earth Roads.
The U. S. Office of Public Roads
says:
1--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 ma
jority of the roads will be composed
of earth. Furthermore, in about nine
months out of the year the earth
road, II properly care for Is reason
ably satisfactory.
For many agricultural districts
II is the only road at present avail
able. Hence, these communities
should set themselves seriously to
work to learn the best methods of
maintaining earth roads and OF get
ting the maximum service for them.
Prosperity comes to the country
to great extent through the pros
perlty of the farmers. This fact
strongly suggests the Importance of
giving the earth roads every possible
care and attention in It's location.
drainage, construction and malnte-
nance.
"An earth road, composed OF wa
ter-holding soil, should be exposed
to the sun and air as freely as pos
sible, as comparison between the
shaded and sunny portions of such a
road will easily indicate. This should
be accomplished by clearing sufi-
cient amount of trees and under
growth away from the road II must
be remembered, however, that sandy
and gravely 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 i'm
portant points to consider In connec-
tlon with an earth road The ma
jority of earth roads in all noun
famous and hily districts have too
much drainage. Occasionally road
will be found with five bitches, three
In the middle, made by the horses
hoofs and by the wheels of the We
constructed earth roads are supposed
to have no more than two ditches,
one on each side of the Travelled road
way.
Keep the water out Of the middle
OF the road by giving Ii crown or
elevation in the centre of II inches
above the top of the inner slope of
the ditch or a twenty-foot road, and
where the hills are little steep make
the crown ten inches. With a crown
Of about one inch to the foot from
the centre 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 con-
crete drains should, If possible, be
provided. They should have sufficient
capacity and fall to carry the maxi
mum amount of water that is ex-
pected to flow through them at any
one time.
"The capacity is increased in pro-
portion to the fall or grade; for in
stance, twelve-inch pipe laid on one
per cent. grade will carry 1900 gall
Ions per minute, while the same pipe
laid on two per cent. grade will
carry $500 gallons per minute. Fur
thermore, a culvert laid fiat will soon
fill up, while one having good in
cline will keep itself clear.
In the maintenance of an earth
road avoid the mistake of changing
the natural order of things. Naturally
II the soil is reversed in construct
ing 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 roadbed is largely clay to
start with, 1t will be we'll to place
sandy soil or clean sand on top. A
covering of six to ten inches of sand
upon clay that persists in breaking
up into deep mudholes will usually
be satisfactory, and II sand enough
be added this clay will cease to make
mud If the roadbed is composed
Of said sand 1t can be improved by
an application of clay.-Boston Post.