The Nevada County picayune., 1910-07-15

0By L. W. CHASE, UNIVERSITY OF
 NEBRASKA AGRICULTURAL EEK TREATMENT STATIOk0
 The split-log drag, or, as 1t is con- monly called, the king" drag. Is with out doubt the best implement for keeping roads in shape and in many instances is as efficient as any other implement in the construction of earth roads
 The king drag can be constructed of either split log or plank, but in this state the plank is much easier to obtain than the log. hence this brief description pertains to the construc- tion from blanks.
 Select q good yellow pine, ash or oak plank two inches thick. twelve inches wide, and fourteen feet long Cut this in two at an angle so that one edge of each piece is seven feet and six inches long and the other edge Is six feet and six inches long. Spike to the back and along the center of each of these blanks q tWo-inch by six-inch piece. which reinforees the plank. Bore the holes for the cross stakes about tWenty-six inches apart and four inches from each end with two and one half inch auger using care to keep the auger perpendicular to the plank. The two-inch by foNr-inch brace at the front end should start from the middle of the rear plank and drop 10 the bottom part of the front plank. The blade, which is generally made of stock cutter steel. should be given the proper cutting slope by placing wedge-shaped strip between il and the plank One end of the chain is fastened to cross stake and the other passes through a hole in the plank and is held in position by means of pin.
 The use of the drag Is more satis factory If the road has first been crowned with blade grader. but whenever this Is not convenient and the traffic Is not too heavy the road may be gradually brought to q crown by means of the drag
 The surface of the average country road should be covered in one round with the drag One horse should be driven on the inside of the wheel track and the other on the outside. the drag being set, by means of the chain, so that 1t is running at an an gle of about i5 degrees with the wheel track and working 1he earth toWarfl the center of the road In the spring when the roads are more likely to be rutty and soft it is generally better to 20 over the road twice and in some places more times
 The drag should he foorcd with boards which are separated by open spaces of sufficient width SO that the dirt which fails over will rattle through and yet they should be close enough so that the driver can move abont upon the drag quite freely.
 To insure the successful operation of the drag 1t is necessary for the driver to use careful judgment. Some. times 1t is essential that the blade be held down so that the drag will cut roots and weeds. while at other times the front edge should not bear too heavily upon the surface as it will dix out soft place which would be bet. ter II left undisturbed. This regula- tion of the cutting edge can be ac- complished by the driver moving back and forth or to the right and left on the drag
 If the road is to be crowned with the drag it is often well to blow light furrow along the sides and work this loosened dirt to the center.
 On roads with heavy traffic the drag should be used much oftener and with more care than on roads with light traffic.
 The distance from the drag at which the team is hitched affects the cutting A long hitch permits the blade 10 cut deeper than short