150 



AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING 



will have a tendency to concentrate at the middle of the road, 

 which in a very short time causes ruts. A slope of Y^ to 

 1 inch to the foot, as shown in the accompanying sketch, is 

 customary. 



Road Maintenance. In order to keep the earth road in 

 the best possible condition, it is necessary that the oval 

 shape of the surface be maintained, and that ruts be pre- 

 vented from forming. To do this, the roads must receive 



Fig. 80. An earth road maintained in good condition by the road drag. 



practically constant attention. The best device for keeping 

 an earth road smooth is the road drag. 



The Road Drag. The road drag is a device for smoothing 

 earth roads. It is sometimes called the King drag, as its 

 use has been urged by D. Ward King, of Maitland, Missouri. 

 Its construction will be described later. The drag is usually 

 drawn with the blades at an angle with the direction of travel, 



