AX EXPERI31EXT WITH A COUXTRY ROAD 
Ur CHARLES H. I'ETTEE 
The making of a macadamized road is not in itself an experi- 
ment. Reducing tlie grade or rounding up tlie centre of a road- 
bed so as to give more permanency to the road itself is not new, 
"When, however, broken stone roads in a state are practically 
confined to city limits; when attention to grade is the rare ex- 
ception on our country roads and correct form of surface is the 
exception rather than the rule, it seems to be time to institute 
such experiments, noting cost and results, as Avill determine 
whether the so called correct principles of road construction 
practiced in the larger centers of population are applicable to 
rural districts. 
Advantage has been taken of the necessit}' of straightening 
and otherwise repairing certain portions of the highway adja- 
cent to the college farm to carry out an experiment in road con- 
struction for the benefit of the farmers of Xew Hampshire who 
are and of necessity will continue to be the road builders in our 
country towns. "Work was begun July 1, 1895. 
LOCATION 
A portion of the 1st Xew Hampshire turnpike between the 
Experiment Station building and the railwa}' station, com- 
mencing 18 feet westerl}' along the turnpike from station 
"W. (a bound thus designated in college survey of village of 
Durham), thence extending 300 feet easterly toward the rail- 
way station, was selected for the work. 
The following conditions controlled the choice. The location 
was partly on a hill with a grade of one-fourteenth, or one foot 
rise to ever}' fourteen in length, and thus needed to be reduced 
in grade. Toward the top it was well drained with only a 
thin soil over ledge. At the foot of the slope was a heavy, 
