68 THE EQUIPMENT OF THE FARM. 



The general and most serviceable width of farm or occu- 

 pation roads, is 10 feet of metal, with a level grass margin 

 of 4 feet on each side. The first operation is to stick a 

 line of strong pegs, eighteen inches long or thereabouts, 

 at half a chain distant along the centre of the proposed 

 road. On each side five feet distant from the central peg 

 a line is stretched and the ground nicked out. This opera- 

 tion must be performed by the operator keeping the back 

 of his spade towards the grass margin ; the spade being 

 held so as to cut the soil at an angle of about 45 degrees. 

 The section of the road when finished is of a somewhat 

 convex form, rising six inches or thereabouts at the centre. 

 On clay or bog soils, a most important point is thorough 

 drainage : on strong adhesive clays a three-inch pipe 

 drain not less than three feet deep must run longitudinally 

 under the metal on each side the road. Where the soil is 

 of a more open and porous character, a single drain four feet 

 deep along the centre will be sufficient. These drains empty 

 themselves into brick culverts or strong pipe drains, which 

 cross the line of road at right angles wherever the land 

 furnishes a natural outfall ; otherwise the water must be 

 conveyed by underground drainage to the nearest brook. 

 In addition to these, an open carrier must be made on the 

 outside of the grass margin on each side of the road ; this 

 carrier should be two feet in width at the top, fifteen inches 

 deep, sloping on each side so as to leave a clear space of nine 

 inches at bottom. On wet lands with flat gradients these 

 side ditches are of great advantage, as they rapidly relieve 

 the soil from surplus water after a heavy rainfall, which 

 instead of being absorbed, is run off at once. The grass 

 margins should be levelled or slightly sloped towards the 

 carrier. If not already turfed, the surface should be thickly 



