OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 221 



earth or till ; giving a fmooth even furface, elaflic to 

 the hoof, yet firm enough to refill the wheels, without 

 being cut into ruts, and fufficiently covered to prevent 

 the hard materials from being expofed to their im- 

 mediate preflure. After the furface of a road is thus 

 arranged, great attention fhould be paid from time to 

 time, to fill up any ruts that may be made, and by re- 

 placing the lower flratum of covering, that may have 

 been difplaced by the obflinate adherence of carriages 

 to one tract, where by the grinding of wheels in a fur- 

 row filled with water the hardefl gravel, or flone, is 

 quickly cut through, as a block of marble is divided 

 by the fame kind of procefs. Keeping the furface dry, 

 by having proper courfes for the water, is another ne- 

 ceflary confideration ; and' in roads, that lie low and are 

 much frequented, (hovelling off the liquid mud feems a. 

 judicious operation, which allows the road to dry in a 

 much fhorter fpace of time than it would other wife do. 

 I have no faith in the idea, that this fluff when dried 

 can be of any fervice in protecting the furface ; for 

 having been thus ground, by the fun and air it is turned 

 into duft, but never reflored as gravel. The lhape or 

 form of^a road is another fubject of very material con- 

 fideration. The moft perfect flate of a road, as to 

 form, that in which its utility is the greatefl, and its 

 wear the leafl, is beyond all doubt the perfect flate of 

 flatnefs, provided the furface could be kept in a flate 

 of perfection under' that form i but it being In practice 



impoflible 



