24:4 ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 



step is to remove trees and other impassible obstruc- 

 tions; in enterprising communities the stumps are 

 sometimes dug up, but the usual method is to leave 

 them to be worn away by time and the wheels of passing 

 vehicles. If the land be of sufficient value, the trail is 

 fenced on either side to prevent its becoming too wide. 

 Over this clearing, which is expected to grow with no 

 assistance into a fully developed road, one vehicle fol- 

 lows in the track of another until a well-marked way is 

 established; and usually deep ruts are cut into the earth, 

 and in damp places great pools of mud are churned up. 

 When the ruts and mudholes become too deep to be 

 conveniently filled with loose stones, or old fence rails, 

 a new trail is opened around them. In this manner 

 the course of the road is constantly changing. It is 

 seldom that any grading is attempted. The trail wan- 

 ders across the country from house to house, dodging 

 the worst obstacles, and finally, after many windings, 

 reaching its destination. 



The building of permanent highways is the business 

 of the engineer, but every farmer should know some- 

 thing of road-making and road-mending. 



228. Dirt Roads. — A dirt road is one that uses the 

 natural surface of the ground with no attempt at im- 

 provement except such as is obtained by drainage and 

 grading. 



(1) In locating roads of any kind the first object 

 should be to avoid steep grades. On dirt roads the grade 

 should never be more than 7 per cent, which means a 

 rise of 7 feet in every 100, or 369 feet per mile. As 

 the steepness of the grade increases, the load hauled 



