The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-08-01

binder If too much sand Is used the
result will be loose sand on the sur
face; If too much clay is used the sur
face Of the road will become sticky
after rains.
The best mixture of sand and clay
can be made when the materials are
wet, and particularly is this true Of
the plastic or ball clays.
If the clay is plastic or ball clay
much greater effort will be necessary
to obtain complete mixture; If it IS
shaking clay the mixture will be
much more readily obtained. This
kind of clay is not as satisfactory.
however, as the ball clay, as its bind
ing powers are much less. In select
ing clay for road purposes it is always
best to select the stickiest clay avail
able. \ common test is to wet the
thumb and place it against piece of
clay. If the clay will not stick to the
thumb it is safe to assume that it will
be a poor binder in a sand-clay road.
AS the desirable proportions of sand
and clay are such that the particles of
clay barely fill the vOids between the
grains Of sand, it is well in determin-
ing the quantity of clay to be applied
to sand road or sand to be applied to
clay road to know approximately
how much il needed A simple method
for determining the relative quantity
Is to take two glasses of the same size
and fill one with dry sand which it is
proposed to use and the other with wa
ter. The water should then he poured
carefully in the glass of sand and al
lowed to trickle down through the sand
until it reaches the bottom of the glass.
When the water has been poured into
the glass of sand to the point Of over
flowing we may assume that the vOiGS
between the grains of sand have been
filled, and consequently the amount Of
water taken from the full glass would
represent the volume Of clay needed to
fill the voids in q volume of sand euu;,.
to that i'll the other glass It is bette,
to use little less clay than would ap
pear to be necessary, as the tendenc.
is to overestimate the amount needed.
Good drainage is the most essential
feature of the sanl-clay road just as II
is Of all other types Of road \ sand.
OR gravelly soil affords better natural
drainage, and if the sand is present to-
an exceptional extent the only provi
sion necessary for drainage will be to
| ,-rown the surface of the road in the
same manner as prescribed for earth
gravel or macadam T., ,'is If the road
is located through land that is so low
as to Ee continually wet it will be nee
essary in addition to crewning the roaL
to provide wide bitches on eae h sid
ana to raise the roadbed a little hiehc,
than the surrounding country
After proper drainage has been Sc
cured the rOadbed should be crowned
| beginning near the source of supply Of
the clay or sand. The clay should
then be spread to depth of from six
| to eight inches in the center. slopinc
off gradually to thin layer at tho
sides. Upon the clay should be placed
thin covering of sand. If the clay
is of the plastic kind it will then tc
necessary to plow and harrow it. ad
vantage being taken Of rains to puddle
the surface with disk harrow. Sane
should be gradually added until the
surface Of the road ceases to ball and
cake
If the clay is placed on sand to a
depth of six inches a cubic yard OF
clay will cover fifty-four lineal feet:
/ consequently sixteen foot road treat
ed in this manner would require one
cubic yard of clay for each three fee;
Of length. A mile of sixteen foot
road would therefore require l,7G
cubic yards of clay.
If the clay Subsoil is to be treated
with sand it should be plowed and
narrowed to Il depth Of about -four
inches. On this prepared subsurfact
should be placed from six to eight
inches Of clean sand. spread thickes,
at the center and sloping to the sides
in much the same manner as the ella!
Is applied to sand road. These ma
/ tarials should then be mixed dry in
stead of the wet mixing, which i:
preferable when clay Is applied Il
sand This is preferable because th,
clay can be better pulveriZed when II
dry state After dry mixing the roat
should be puddied following the frs
heavy rain. When the materials ar
thoroughly mixed and puddled a roat