64 BULLETIN 284, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
A total of 922.66 miles has been dragged once at a total cost, in- 
cluded in the surfacing charges, of $180.01, which is at the rate of 
19.5 cents per mile dragged. In dragging, the average operation has 
been three and one-half trips over the section. 
The cost of maintenance per mile has been $141.46 on section 1; 
$235.33 on section 2; $131.99 on section 3; $341.59 on section 4, or a 
weighted average of $201.47 per mile for the whole road. 
During the entire year 1914 these roads continued to improve in 
cross sectionfand condition. Section 2 was ditched over nearly its 
entire length and much ditching was done along parts of other sec- 
tions. The county grading machine was borrowed and operated at 
Government expense for four days in the early fall. Up to Decem- 
ber 23, 1914, the time of last inspection, the roads remained in ex- 
cellent condition and at that time were much better than in May and 
June. ; 
This experimental work serves to secure cost of dragging, to deter- 
mine the cost of maintenance that fully meets the wear of traffic on 
earth and cheap gravel roads, and to demonstrate that earth roads 
can actually be improved by a regular system of maintenance. 
VI. SUPERVISION OF MAINTENANCE ON SOME TYPICAL ROAD IN COUNTIES THAT 
HAVE RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED A SYSTEM OF HIGHWAYS. 
This project is to encourage and promote systematic, intelligent, 
effective maintenance methods and to assist in devising a scheme for 
maintenance administration in the county. Owing to the wide dis- 
tribution of the available roads, this project can not be advanced 
until a larger organization is developed. 
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