Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-11-15

read with interest.
Before entering upon this subject
| wish to express my pleasure at
having the opportunity of address
ing this Convention and furthering
the work of the Association in its
aim of good roads everywhere"
The point which | wish to bring
out in this paper is the seeding to
clover or other suitable grasses
those portions of our highways
which lie on each side of what one
might term the running track.
There are many advantages to be-
obtained by this system other than
overcoming the weed nuisance, so
that the title of this paper is not
perhaps as expressive of its scope
os l should wish.
This practise of sowing clover on
the sides of graded roads has come
under my observation in that por-
ton of the State of Idaho which
bounds on to south east British
Columbia. Their main roads are
about the width of ours, namely
90 feet. The whole width of the
right of way is cleared of stumps
and brush. The surface is graded
leveled and crowned, and the usual
small ditch made on either side.
Glover is then sown i'll on the sides
leaving only the running track in
the centre. 1t is we'll that our
highways should be at least 90 feet
wide. British Columbia has adopt
ed a new standard of 90 feet, while
l understand that the Federal
Government in the states is to
build its ranscontinental high
way one hundred feet wide.
There appears to be much differ
ence of opinion on this matter and
| think that it would be very desir-
able for the Convention to place
itself on record on this question.
The cost of maintenance of a
sixty-six foot road in good con-
dition is fairly considerable
annual cost varying with the lay of
the country, the nature of the road
material, the amount of travel and
the atmospheric conditions. For
miles in country districts the whole
width of such a road is not neces-
sary to accommodate the traffic. Ex-
cept where vehicles pass each other
only the centre or running track is
used. The sides of the road there
fore tend to grow up in weeds,
and generally get in a bad state of
repair. On a wet, soft day a load
ed wagon turns off to pass another
vehicle and makes a rut, and the
traffic keeping to the middle of the
road does not work that rut out.
If the slopes of the roadbed are
sown to clover it forms a network
which binds the soil together. The
slopes will not wash during a heavy
rain or in the thaw out in the
spring. The quantity of dust is
very much reduced, and the road
has neat and fresh appearance.
Yet should occasion demand the
whole width of this road can be
used just as we'll as the running
track in the centre. Another very
important advantage which is gain
ed is that this bed of green clover
provides a fire break. In timber
ed country such as the most of this
Province is this is an advantage OF
very great importance, as roads are
so very generally considered and
used as the natural point at which
to cut off a forest blaze. The
double continuous belt of green
clover forms a natural fire guard
In the timbered portions of this
Province the tendency is for the
slopes to grow up with brush which
later becomes imhammable mater
ial. Finally the vigorous growth
'of clover will not permit of the