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Show CARE OF EARTH R0AD3. Treatment of a Clay Roadbed Dlffert from One Composed of Sand. On clay loads a thin layer of sand, gravel or ashes will prevent tho stick-lug stick-lug of clay to the roller or to the wheels of vehicles. Clny soils us & rule absorb water quite freely nnd soften when saturated, but wuler does not pnBB through them rendlly. When used ulono clay Is the least desirable of all road materials, but roads composed com-posed or clay may ho created with sand or small gravel rrom which a comparatively compara-tively hard and compact mass Is formed, which Is nearly Impervious to water. Material of this chnracter found In tho natural Btato commonly known as "hardpan" makes, when properly applied, n very solid and durable road. In soils composed of a mlxturo of sand, gravel and clny nil thnt Is necessary to mnke n good road Is to crown the surface and keep the ruts and holes filled, and the ditches open nnd free. While clay alono never makes n good road, oxcopt In dry weather, sand alono never makes a good road oxcopt In wet. Tho more the drninago or a sand road is Improved tho more doplorablo becomes Its condition. Nothing Noth-ing will ruin one quicker than to dig a ditch on each side and drain all the water away. The best way, thororore, to make such a road firm is to keep It constantly damp, This can bo dono by planting shade trees along Its sides to prevent tho evaporation of water, or by growing upon the surface or such sand roads n thick turf, proferably Hormuda grass. Hoads running through loose sand may bo Improved by mixing mix-ing clay with tho sand and slightly crowning the surface. For tho temporary improvement of earth or sand roads, any strong fibrous substance, especially If It holds moisture, mois-ture, such as refuse of sugar cane or sorghum, nnd even common straw, flax, swamp grass or pine needles will i bo useful. Spent tan bark Is some-I some-I times bcneflclnl and wood fiber In any form Is excellent. Enough sand or earth should bo thrown over such l roads to keep thorn damp and protect pro-tect them from catching flro. Earth Is composed of small, Irregular Irregu-lar fragments which touch each other nt points, leaving voids between. When tho enrth Is broken up and pulverized pul-verized these voids nro almost equal In volume to tho solid particles, nnd ns n result tho earth will absorb almost an equal volunw of wnter. In tho building or maintaining of enrth roads It Is, therefore, very desirable thnt these smnll, Irregular pnrtlcles bo pressed nnd packed Into ns smnll n spneo as possible, In order that surplus sur-plus water may not pass In nnd destroy de-stroy tho stability of tho road. To this end rolling is very beneficial. Tho work of maintaining dirt roads, will bo much Increased by lack of care In 1 properly rolling tho surface Depart- ment of Agriculture Ueport. I |