Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-03-04

certain ferns and such plants as glox-
inias.
Most insects will succumb to soap and
water. An ounce of common laundry
soap sliced, and dissolved in one and one
half to two quarts Of water. strained
through cotton cloth and applied with a
fine syringe or hand pump works well.
followed by a clean water wash in a half
hour.
c. H.. Jones, experiment station chem
ist, discussed Lines and Timing,' say
ing the practice Of lining is rapidly in
creasing in Now England though in It's
infancy in Vermont. Lime is used agri-
culturally. mainly either as ground lime
stone or mari. as quick or burned limo.
as slaked or hydrated lime, in the form
Of ashes, In basic Stag, and in acid phoa-
phate and commercial fertilizers. 1t acts
differently according to the form used,
the stronger. more acrid forms Quick
and slaked-limes) being more active than
the mIlder forms (ashcs. limestones,
marls, slags. acid phosphate.
Lime does many things: it opens up
olays. Ia a powerful neutralizcr OF soil
acidity. favors the growth Of coil bacte-
ria, DIOIilpl'@ Nv ItNhN VI bIEdIili ldt
ter. II unwisely used, it may sometimes
do injury. 1t tends also to determine the
character Of plant growth, whether, for
instance, it he mainly clover or mainly
grass.
Lining is ordinarilYpra cticcd before the
planting Of lime-loving crops. as a. rule
(but not necessarily in the fall on acid
or mucky soils; occasionally rather than
regularly, using relatively large amounts.
ROAD TALK.
At the meeting Of the road section on
Thursday there was "A continuation of the
discussion Of the paper read the previous
day on "Proportioning Concrete by
u. l.. Davis of Manchester, road super
visor for Remington county. The discus
sion brought out a variety Of experiences
with concrete construction in connection
with highways.
Professor Notey empha sized the neceS-
sity OF paying attention to the amount
and kind of gravel used, and advised that
the era vel. az a general rule, be screened.
! Failure to secure satisfactory results with
concrete in connection with road con-
struction was often due to the ineXperi-
ence OF those in cha g OF the work, and
he cited instances to prove the point.
y. 7. Perry of Brattleboro related an
experience in the construction of a cul-
vert. in which he used two different &C.
ments for the two parapets. One OF these
proved satisfactory, while the other prov
ed a failure. The cause OF the failure he
attributed to the action a certain pres
ent in the gravel put into that cement.
Mr.. Davis called attention to the great
Improvement In the quality Of cement dur
ing the past 10 years, and said 1t was due
in large part to the influence of the Pan
anna canal. the New York subway and
the Catskiil aqueduct, which would ac-
cept no material that did not come up to
a certain standard of excellence. In some
ca ses tests were made every hour to in
sure the proper standard.
The comparative merits of cement and
htuminous roads were freely discussed
The conclusion seemed to he that 80 far
the data for anything like a final deci-
sion Is insufficient. While we might be
able to establish a comparison so far as
cost Of construction is concerned we are
left I'm n good deal OF uncertainty as to
the subsequent cost Of maintenance.
which, of course. is n vital consideration
in any m Of the relative merits of
the materials. Opinion seemed to incline
towards cement as the preferable mate
rial.
Tho question of the best methods OF
mixing cements, especially in small guam
titles. came UP for discussion. Various
opinions were expressed, but there was
a pretty general agreement with Pro.
lessor Notey's opinion that the results
from machine mixing are better thar
r,or, I'D ,~fx{nr larat,oa rf pyaater uni
formity.
The latter part of the forenoon ano
the afternoon were devoted to demonstra-
tons In the laboratories. these being con
Quoted by Professor Dix and Mr.. Dow
There were exhibited results of recen'
tests on specimens Of stones received
from Rutland. Mlddlebury, Vergennes
Burlington, st. Adams and Montpelier
and also on gravel from Brandon an
Malletts Ray.
The actual operation OF the variou!
machines was shown in detail. and th'
method Of determining the quality anc
suitability of the various materials fol
road purposes. Cement blocks were made
and then tested in an impact machine
with reference to their strength.
The laboratories of the college of en-
cheering are now well equipped VIII
standard machines for determining th'
wearing quality, the hardness, the tough
ness and binding quality of stones. Foul
new machines have been recently added
so that the laboratories have now a toler'
ably complete equipment for testing al
kinds OF road material.
There was exhibited also a large col
lection of road material from every county
in Vermont. which has been collected By
the engineering department, chiefly
through the efforts OF Professor Notey
during the past 20 or g years. This ha-
been tested, and the various specimens
were carefully labelled. This xhihi il
Of particular interest and value to a.
persons engaged in road work of any
kind. Paving materials In great ~variet!
were exhibited, as wood block. brick
granite blocks; also various tar prepara
lions, asphalts. road oils. used as bind
ers or dust preventives. On one tabl'
there was a large variety OF literature o
interest to road men. not the least I'm
portant of which We're descriptive anC
illustrated catalogues of road machinery
and all sorts of implements used in roaC