The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-25

VNeS "a tAC oltCH. tHe CToWH pefnK
about LIZ inch to the foot The road
Is kept In shape by use Of the road
machine or road drag until 1t Is COM
pacted by traffic and one or two good
rains. this method being found for
this particular kind OF work equally
as effective and much less expensive
than rolling and sprtnkling In iocali-
ties where these soils are to be found
in any quantity We find more or less
frequently sections of road which
keep In good order always. II ma
terial similar to that composing these
sections is used on other portions of
the road, good results may be looked
for.
Another improved earth road In
very general use throughout the
7 South Is the sand-clay road, made. as
its name indicates, by a mixture OF
sand and clay. In large areas In the
Atlantic and Gulf States the materials
for this class Of road are abundant,
and not infrequently they are found
already mixed by nature in the right
proportion to form an excellent road.
Where such sections Of natural sand
clay road are found one cannot do
better In building a new road than to
duplicate the mixture already proven
satisfactory as suggested above in
tsouhoItioH Win BOIL FOAUS.
Ideal sand Clay Road.
The ideal sand-clay road IL one In
which there Is just enough clay to All
the voids between the grains OF sand.
Amy surplus OF clay tends In wet
weather to soften the road. to stick
to wheels and consequently form ir-
Irregularities In the surface OF the
road. On the other hand. a surplus
OF sand causes the road to disintegrate
in dry weather when the sand win
be removed by traffic with the same
| result. To secure the best results,
therefore, sand must be added when
there is a surplus Of clay and clay
when there Ii a surplus OF sand. The
amount OF sand or clay. as the case
may be. to be added to the road has
to be determined largely by expert
ment in each case as the materials
Is rather to use too little sand on .
clay road or too much clay on sand
road. We have often gotten very
good results when there was from
! 2 INCHES to 4 inches Of loose sand over
a sand-clay subsoil by simply plow-
ing the road and bringing some OF the
clay to the surface and mixing.
| In the construction Of sand-clay
roads II is absolutely essential that
the ingredients shall be thoroughly
mixed and puddled. This - most
easily done after a heavy rain, the
sand or clay having been previously
spread. and. II clay. all Jumps hav-
ing been broken. the mixing may
then be done with a pillow, or better
with a disc harrow. This mixing is
sometimes left to DO done by the
passing traffic, but that should be
avoided when possible.
1t Is frequently necessary to make
several applications of clay or sand
to portions Of a road before a proper
mixture Is secured. After the mixing
has been completed the road should
be kept in proper shape with road
machine or drag, as 1t dries out, and
kept with the proper crown until It
becomes compacted. All that has been
said in connection with the location.
drainage, etc, Of earth roads II equally
applicable to sand clay roads.
Prompt Attention Essential.
After road Ia built, whether Oh
plain earth, or with some surfacing
material 1t should be kept az nearly
as possible in the improved condi-
ton. That can only be done by con-
slant care and frequent repairs. These
may be slight and inexpensive. but
they are nevertheless Imperative. No
annual or semi annual round of repairs
VIII Keep road in first class condi-
ton. One days work each month on
road In far better than twelve days
work once year.
choked oulvert or ditch can be
opened AT small cost, but. II left
stopped. will cause damage to tbs
road many times more expensive to
repair. In cleaning out bitches the
material should not be thrown into
the middle Of the road to raise the