286 
STATE AGRICULT UK AL SOCIETY. 
may be said of the effect of loose stones on a macadamized 
road, only that the damage to the latter is more serious than 
to the earth-road surfaces, which will in some degree repair 
themselves ; but the displaced, macadamizing material is 
strewed upon the surface of the road, greatly increasing the 
evil. Next in importance to drainage is the removal of loose 
stones from the surface of the road, and the best and cheapest 
mode in thus clearing earth and gravel roads is to run the rut 
scraper or grader over the road, commencing at each margin 
with the scraper, so set that the surplus earth, stones, &c., will 
j be continually deposited toward the center of the road. Hav¬ 
ing passed the scraper over the entire surface, by passing up 
one side and down the other, all the small stones to be 
removed will be deposited in a narrow row on the middle of 
the road-bed, from which they may be rapidly gathered by 
use of the malleable cast-iron coal-scoop, which being latticed, 
allows the earth and gravel to fall through. Loose stones 
may thus be removed from the surface of the earth and gravel 
roads at perhaps one-tenth of the cost of hand-picking, and all 
ruts filled at the same time. The loose stones on macadamized 
roads should be frequently picked off, and the side tracks kept 
in order by the use of the grader, as above described. 
Great advantage and economy result from passing the rut 
scraper over earth and gravel roads as soon after every rain¬ 
fall as the soil becomes dry enough to flow before the scraper, 
and readily fall into the ruts and depressions in the road sur¬ 
face. Where the water is allowed to stand until evaporated 
from the ruts, large and frequently dangerous mud-holes are 
the consequence; and as they are generally repaired by cast¬ 
ing in stones, small and large, the road is made worse, instead 
of better. Mud-holes in roads are striking examples of a veri¬ 
fication of the adage that “prevention is better than cure;” 
and prevention can be effected in the most simple and econom¬ 
ical manner, by the use of the rut scraper. If taken in time, 
it is rarely necessary to haul soil for repairs, that removed by 
the scraper from the margins of the ruts generally being all 
that is requisite to raise the depressions to the proper grade. 
