486 CONSTRUCTION, FARM ENGINEERING, MECHANICS 



The drag should be floored with boards which are separated by open 

 spaces of sufficient width so that the dirt which falls over will rattle 

 through, and yet they should be close enough so that the driver can 

 move about upon the drag quite freely. 



To insure the successful operation of the drag, it is necessary for 

 the driver to use careful judgment. Sometimes it is essential that the 

 blade be held down so that the drag will cut roots and weeds, while at 

 other times the front edge should not bear too heavily upon the surface, 

 as it will dig out a soft place which would be better if left undisturbed. 

 This regulation of the cutting edge can be accomplished by the driver 

 moving back and forth or to the right and left on the drag. 



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Fig. 19. — Road drag. It is faced part of the length on the front with a steel plate. 



If the road is to be crowned with the drag, it is often well to plow 

 a light furrow along the sides and work this loosened dirt to the center. 



On roads with heavy traffic the drag should be used much oftener 

 and with more care than on roads with light traffic. 



The distance from the drag at which the team is hitched affects the 

 cutting. A long hitch permits the blade to cut deeper than a short 

 hitch, likewise a heavy doubletree will cause the cutting edge to settle 

 deeper than a light one. 



Strange as it may seem, the heavier the traffic over a properly dragged 

 road the better the road becomes. 



When to use (he drag. — There are very few periods of the year when 

 the use of the drag does not benefit the road, but it does the best work 

 when the soil is moist and yet not too sticky. This is frequently 

 within a half-day's time after a rain. When the earth is in this state 



