FENCES AND FARM BUILDINGS. 83 



displace some of the stones in the lower bed, and the gravel from 

 above will work under them. When this disturbance is once 

 commenced it goes on more and more rapidly, until finally some of 

 the stones will have worked their way to the top, some of the gravel 

 will have gone to the bottom, and the road will be really in a 

 worse condition than before the improvement was undertaken — 

 but ior farm roads the plan is a good one. 



A much better and more durable road, made on a modification 

 of what is called the Telford plan, although no more expensive 

 than that just described, is very much more satisfactory and 

 enduring, especially for public highways. 



The ground is dug out to a depth of two feet at the sides, and 

 nine or ten inches in the center, but in a curved line, as shown 

 in Fig. 27. The depressions at the sides are solidly packed with 



Fig. 27. 



small stones to the line of the slope of the surface of the road. 

 Larger stones — as flat ones as can be found — are then set on edge 

 as closely as possible over the whole bed, and " spalls" or " chink- 

 ing stones," are tightly wedged in between their tops.' A heavy 

 iron maul or sledge-hammer is then used to drive in the wedging 

 stones, and to break down the projecting points of the larger 

 stones, until the whole mass is as firm as a floor. Sufficient 

 " crown" should be given to this bed to afford surface drainage, 

 (say 3 inches in an i8-ft. road,) and only so much gravel or earth 

 put upon it as will completely cover the stones, and prevent the 

 wheels being jarred by them. If properly drained and well made, 

 such a road will last a life-time, and will require very little atten- 

 tion to keep it in order. 



