LECTURES AND ESSAYS. 385 



and then climbing down again. This I know can not be brought about, as 

 it would affect the shape of our fields, and in some cases perhaps the bound- 

 aries of our farms. I believe, however, it would pay to suffer a little incon- 

 venience in farming from crooked road fences, in order that our roads might 

 have the advantage of more even ground. 



The effect of a small amount of grading in improving a road is more than 

 usually supposed. I think no kind of work on the road makes as much 

 showing for the actual labor expended as this. The effect of a couple of 

 feet taken off from a hill and added to a valley below, is to reduce the total 

 undulation about four feet, and make a striking change in the profile of the 

 ground. If more grading were done it would be less dreaded, and more or 

 less must be done before we can secure very good roads in hilly districts. 

 This is usually true, however, and is some offset against the advantage of 

 building roads in a level country, that the more grading is necessary, the 

 less drainage will be required. % 



HOW TO DRAIN ROADS. 



Now as to the method of draining roads : The old methods were turnpik- 

 ing and ditching. Turnpiking affords a valuable means of drainage ; it 

 elevates the road above the surrounding land, and thus permits the water 

 which falls on the road to pass off. When turnpikes are properly made they 

 are of much value, but as ordinarily made their efficiency is small indeed. 

 The surface of the turnpiked road should have a single uniform slope from 

 the bottom of the ditch to the center of the road. This slope should average 

 about one inch to a foot, measured horizontally. It should not be greatest 

 next the ditch and least in the center of the road. The slope of the outside 

 of the ditch should not be steeper than four inches to a foot. 



The plow and scraper are the two implements most valuable in making a 

 turnpike road. It will be found that after a turnpike is constructed there 

 is a tendency for the crown to flatten, and even to grow concave, and wheel 

 ruts form on the top. As soon as this happens the drainage of our roads is 

 impaired, mud holes and ruts form, and we find turnpiking no improvement. 

 To remedy this evil we must give the road constant attention, using for this 

 purpose a road machine or leveling scraper, which crowds the dirt back on 

 to the crown and fills up the rutsi, thus restoring the convex form to the 

 road. The side ditches demand unremitting attention; they should be 

 made in such a way as to afford an unimpeded water-course for the water 

 from the surface of the road. If they become choked up in places, the value 

 of the turnpike is impaired or destroyed. To clean out the side ditches the 

 same leveling scraper is an excellent implement. 



IMPROVED ROAD WORKING MACHINERY. 



In the construction of roads two very important inventions have, within 

 the last few years, been perfected, and these are the wheel scraper and the 

 steam road roller. The wheel scraper is a combination of scraper and wagon, 

 so arranged that the team, by drawing the scraper into the earth, can scoop 

 up a full load. This is lifted up on wheels and carted to the dump. It 

 lessens the cost of excavating about one-half as compared with hand shovel- 

 ing. 



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