FARM DEVELOPMENT 



Figure 198. Railroad plow used in breaking up 

 hard earth preparatory to handling with scraper or 

 reversible machine. . 



portance to the elevating grader. The slush scraper, 

 long used for making rounded road surfaces, is now use- 

 ful only where the reversible machine cannot be used, as 

 where, owing to short length of roadway or other dif- 

 ficulty, the reversible 

 machine cannot be 

 successfully handled. 

 The cost of moving 

 earth from shallow 

 ditches to the center 

 of the road with the 

 slush scraper is so 

 much more than the 

 cost of removing it 

 with the reversible road machine that the latter is usually 

 more practicable. 



The reversible road machine. In Figures 198 to 201, 

 inclusive, are shown methods of handling earth with the 

 the reversible road ma- 

 chine. While no general 

 rule can be laid down ap- 

 plicable to all conditions, 

 yet the plans given in the 

 figures mentioned will il- 

 lustrate the subject so that 

 the operator of the revers- 

 ible machine will be able tc 

 figure out for each soil and 

 roadbed a method of plow- 

 ing up the earth, carrying 

 it to the center with the 

 blade of the reversible 



machine and mixing it, or laying a chosen portion on the 

 surface, as will best economize labor and furnish the most 

 useful roadway. In some cases the material taken from 

 the roadside ditches is suitable for making a fairly good 



Figure 198a. 

 own plowing. 



Reversible machine doing its 



