CHAPTER XXL 



CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF COUNTRY 

 ROADS. 



Having outlined the principles underlying the draft of 

 wagons on roads the next consideration should be how to 

 make and maintain the road for the given locality which, 

 everything considered, is the mcst economical. 



545. Establishing the Grade. For ordinary country 

 roads the road-bed will generally conform with the natural 

 slope of the surface over which it passes ; steep hills, how- 

 ever, should, if possible, always be avoided either by turn- 

 ing to one side or by grading and filling. 



Where the hills are short and steep they may usually be 

 graded down to better advantage than to pass around them, 

 but when the hill is both long and high then it may be best 

 to reduce the grade by passing obliquely up the hill, or in 

 mountainous countries where ranges are crossed through 

 passes it often becomes necessary to pass down the long 

 steep slopes by a series of zigzags, having short and steep 

 rounded turns. 



546. Factors to Be Considered in Establishing the Grade. 

 There are many factors which must be considered in de- 

 ciding the particular grade a road over a given hill may 

 be permitted to have. If the road for the main travel is 

 generally excellent and level, with a good deal of traffic 

 over it, then it is important to keep the grade as low as 

 practicable. Where the country is generally rolling, so 

 that there are many hills which must in any event have 

 a high grade, it will not be as important to cut other hills 

 down as much as a more level country would warrant 



