The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-06-10
THE spit
LOG drag.
How to Build and Use This
New Device.
Claimed That 1t is The Cheapest
and Best Of All Road
Makers.


the United States department of
agriculture treats of the split-log
drag an implement which numerous
experiments have conclusively shown
to be the greatest possible boon 10
keep earth roads smooth and passible.
because of its simplicity, its efficien-
cy and its cheapness, both i'm con-
struction and operation, it is destin-
Ell TO come more and more into gen.
eral use. With the drag properly
built and its use we'll understood, the
maintenance of earth roads becomes
simple and inexpensive matter.
At the present time there are APP
proximately 100000 miles of earth
roads in the United States. Some
of the most important of these roads
will eventually be improved with
of lack of funds or suitable materials,
Many others which are equally impof-
tant cannot be so improved ON account
of lack of funds or suitable materials
while still others will not require such
treatment because of his light traf-
fic to which they are subjected.
For these reasons the majority of our
roads must be maintained as earth
roads for many years to come. This
must be done by inexpensive methods,
and the split-log drag will be pow
erful aid If economy is the criterion
demanded.
In the construction of this imple-
ment, care should be taken to make
it 50 light that one man can lift it
with ease, a light drag responding
mere readily to various methods of
hitching that heavy one, as we'll as
TO the shifting of the position of the
operator. The best material for a
split-log drag is a dry red cedar log,
though red elm and walnut are ex-
cellent, and box elder, soft maple
Sand even willow are superior to oak,
Hickory or ash The log should be
between Z and 10 feet long and from
10 to IL inches in diameter at the
butt end. 1t should be split careful
ly as near the center as possible,
and the heaviest and best slab chosen
Afor the front. In the front slab four
inches from the end which is to drag
I'm the middle of the read, bore a
two-inch hole, which is to receive
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 a line connecting
and half way 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 six inches from the other
end locate the center of the opposite
stake. Tho hole for the center stake
should be located half way between
the two. All these holes should be
carefully bored perpendicular or at
right angles to the face of the split
log. alal4E1
If these directions are followed, il
will be found that when the holes
of the front and back slabs are
brought opposite each other, one end
of the back slab will be 16 inches near
er the center of the roadway than
the front one. That gives what is
known as "set back" The Stakes,
which are 80 inches long, will hold
the slabs this distance apart. When
the stakes have been ffUmly wedged
into their sockets, a brace about Two
inches thick and four inches wide
NAV be placed diagonally to them
at the ditch end of the drag. A eleat-
ed 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 a cutting blade
and to prevent the drag from wear
ing. 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 |
hole In the opposite end of the
front slab and held by pin passed |
through link.
For ordinary purposes, the hitch |
should be so made that the unload
|. ed drag will follow the team at an
angle of about As degrees. The team |
should be driven with one horse on |
either side of the right-hand wheel |
track or rut the full length of the |