ROADS 201 



draft on bad roads, rut the road more deeply, and cause 

 greater tongue vibration than high wheels. On the other 

 hand, they are much more convenient for loading, as the 

 body of the vehicle stands lower. 



Qualities of a good road. The qualities to be sought in 

 a road are a flat grade with a smooth, dustless surface of a 

 degree of hardness to withstand the traffic, and still suffi- 

 cient elasticity to prevent injury to animals and jar to 

 vehicles moving at ordinary speed. 



Local problems. The conditions necessary for obtaining 

 these requirements will vary with the climate, locality, and 

 funds available. In the arid regions the road becomes 

 dusty from continuous travel; in sandy regions, soft from 

 the nature of the soil. In the alluvial areas of the humid 

 regions they become soft from excessive moisture, and rough 

 from being traveled while wet. As the road materials vary 

 in each of these regions, the road problem becomes one of 

 studying local conditions, material available, and funds at 

 hand, and with these constructing a road which will approach 

 as nearly as possibl&the ideal road. 



Materials. To secure a good road, it is necessary to have 

 a solid foundation which will not become soft by moisture 

 or be destroyed by erosion, and then an impervious covering 

 that will shed the storm water and carry it to the side ditches. 

 The material for this covering is the bone of contention 

 among road builders and is the problem that confronts 

 many of our agricultural communities. It is here that 

 local conditions should be studied and the road builder 

 use his ingenuity and experimental abilities to find at hand 

 a material that will answer the purpose and be within the 

 pocketbook of the district. Various materials are so used 

 and approach to a greater or less degree the ideal road sur- 

 facing, according to the locality where they are used and the 

 care exercised in construction and maintenance. Common 

 earth roads may be very much improved if the puddling 

 properties of the soil are developed and the soil kept in good 



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