278 
STATE AGEICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
pressionsin the stoned surface cannot be well repaired without 
“picking up” the metal to the depth of several inches. The 
material used in repair should be somewhat smaller or finer 
than that of which the road is formed. The portion repaired 
is to be thoroughly rammed with a “ paver’s rammer,” and, 
when finished, should be slightly above the surface around it, 
which remains undisturbed. When the metal has been prop¬ 
erly graded on a new road, the surface should have a slight 
dressing of clay, and a heavy roller should be passed over it 
until the metal comes to its bearing, before vehicles are allowed 
to pass over it. A road-bed twenty feet in width and twelve 
inches in thickness will require 4,224 perches of broken stone 
to the mile. The surface grade of the earth side tracks should 
correspond with, and be a continuation of, the grade of themac- 
adamized portion. The side tracks should not be more than 
nine feet in width, as unnecessary width increases the difficulty 
of surface drainage. 
Many professional road makers will take exception to the 
clay surface dressing, but it has been thoroughly tested in 
practice, and always with success. The effect is to bring the 
metal to a bearing at once, and to prevent the action of the 
wheels from destroying the angularity of the surface metal, a 
very important quality, as it is almost impossible, after the sur¬ 
face stones have become rounded, to get them to bind one 
with another, and form a first-class road surface. The quantity 
of clay applied should be sufficient only to fill the interstices 
between the stones, on the immediate surface, when the metal 
has come to its bearing. Another advantage of such an appli¬ 
cation is to render the superstructure of macadamizing water- * 
proof, almost from the first, the importance of which, in 
assisting to maintain a dry foundation, is almost self-evident. 
\ 
THE GEAVEL AND OTHEE EOAD-BEDS. 
When the natural soil of a road consists of gravel of proper 
texture, in its natural state,*the process of procuring a very 
desirable road, for all except very heavy traffic, is simple and 
inexpensive. It only requires to have the surface of the road- 
