LIVE STOCK BUIiEDERS. 127 



the results are but little short of marvelous. Teams pass here at a sweep- 

 ing trot when other roads are almost impassable. When the other roads 

 are in such a condition that loaded teams must be rested every few rods, 

 the same loads are moved over this road at a free walk and without resting. 



"More dirt can be moved and more of a show can be made by drag- 

 ging the road during thaws in winter weather than at any other 

 season. At such time the soil is crumbly and mealy and pushes to the 

 center very easily. If a road is dragged two or three times in March or 

 April it will show the effects all summer. That statement seems rather 

 improbable and yet it is true that where I have succeeded in getting a 

 neighbor out in April, May, or even March to go over his road just once 

 or twice, that all through the summer you could tell it had been dragged. 

 The weeds do not grow up on the edge of the road with a slant toward the 

 inside as they do on a road that has not been touched after winter travel. 

 But if one wants a road such as I have tried to tell you about he must live 

 up to the motto, 'keep your road ready for the next rain,' and to secure full 

 satisfaction he must carry out the idea for several years. However, do not 

 allow this to discourage anyone — but make a start. 



"Nor is an iron faced implement absolutely necessary. I began 

 with a drag made with an old post and a frost-bitten pump stock held to- 

 gether by two or three short pieces of inch board nailed on top. It pulled 

 to pieces at the beginning of the second year. And at first I simply drove 

 a team straddle of one wheel track, going, and of the othei wheel track 

 coming back, merely breaking the rim of earth that rises on each side of 

 the wheel track and leaving the road in good condition for teamsters to 

 "straddle the rut." After smashing both ruts I remember I used to look 

 down the road approvingly, pat myself on the back and think I had the 

 nicest road in the country ; and while I did at that time, yet it would look 

 very rought to me at present. These days if my road does not look as 

 smooth as a quarter stretch I expect people to criticize it. I hope you will 

 not think I am exaggerating. Mr. Waters was there and saw it and he 

 will bear me out when I say the road in front of my house and for a half 

 mile south to my neighbor's is in as good condition as any quarter stretch 

 at your fair grounds and it is that way most of the time — of course not 

 while it rains — it is not that way until the mud dries up, but just as soon 

 as it dries, and it dries a day or two before the other road, I get out over 

 it with a drag just once and have another quarter stretch. If I don't 

 get over it the neighbors are after me to know why I don't. This shows 

 the power in such a condition of education. The people are accustomed 

 to finding that road so that they can drive over it as fast as they wish and 

 if they cannot do so they want to know 'what's the matter with King-' " 



