296 ROAD-MAKING. 



a 



The annexed figure will prevent these directions being misunder- 

 stood. The straight line from a to & represents the original slope 

 of the hill-side, of which the whole figure is a section. The upper 

 end of the dotted part of the line is in the mark for laying off the 

 upper side of the road. The upper triangle is a section of the 

 earth dug out of the hill-side, and the lower triangle of the part 

 filled up by its removal. The horizontal line is the level of the 

 road formed by cutting in on the upper, and filling up on the lower 

 side. After shading the rSbd roughly, the deficiencies will be seen, 

 and may be corrected in the finishing work, by deepening some 

 places and filling up others, so as to graduate the whole properly. 

 A width of ten feet of firm road will be sufficient for carting marl 

 up a short hill. 



If the land through which the road is to be cut is not very steep, 

 and is free from trees and roots, the operation may be made much 

 cheaper by using the plough. The first furrow should be run along- 

 the line of the lower side of the intended road, and turned down 

 hill ; the plough then returns empty, to carry a second furrow by 

 the first. In this manner it proceeds, cutting deeply, and throwing 

 the slices far (both of which are easily done on a hill-side), until 

 rather more than the required width for the road is ploughed. 

 The ploughman then begins again over his first furrow, and ploughs 

 the whole over as at first, and this course is repeated perhaps once 

 or twice more, until enough earth is cut from the upper and put on 

 the lower side of the road. After the first ploughing, broad hoes 

 should aid and complete the work, by pulling down the earth from 

 the higher to the lower side, and particularly in those places where 

 the hill-side is steepest. After the proper shape is given, carts, at 

 first empty, and then with light loads, should be driven over every 

 part of the surface of the road until it is firm. If a heavy rain 

 should fall before it has been thus trodden,, the roach would be ren- 

 dered useless for a considerable time. 



