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Show I ROAD IN RURAL COMMUNITIES ver Recurring Problem of Upkeep m Can, In Large Meaaurc, Be Solved m by Use of Road Drag. H By R. H. FLINT. University Farm. 8L 1H Paul. Minn) H Because of Its cheapness tho earth H road 1b, and for many years to come M iwlll continuo to bo, tho mont common H form of road In use in rural communl- 1 tie. Tho orer rocurring problem of j upkeep on euch roada can, in a large j aeafluro, bo oolvod by tho a bo of the H (to-called split-log drag, which can bs 1 constructed as shown in tho accom- M panylng picture by any ono who has j sultablo material at hand. A log is H not necossary, or perhaps not doslr- M able, for its construction, Choose four m pieces of plank, of somo strong wood, M such as olm or rod flr, two Inchon thick and eight foot long. Two of B thorn should bo ton or twolve Inches H in width, but the other two may b m narrower as shown in tho picture, H since thoy aro simply bolted to the m backs of the wider planks for rein forcemont. If planks threo and a halt or four inches thick can conrenlently m fee obtained, a single thickness of M them should be used, instoad of builaV H ing up as shown in the cut In aay H icase, the drag can bo put togotber l . J H " v Road Drarj. M with round polos wedged into auger M iholos as Bhown, or tho crosspleces m may bo sot in with mortiBo and tenoa Joints and kopt tight by long bolts reaching through tho front and back B plankn. H , ..Apjgcoof Jronabout three atd, IV ono-half feet long, throe or four Inches M wido and one-fourth of an inch thick B uhoilld bo used for a blade. By M means of bolts with flat, countersunk H heads, this blade should be attached H to tho front plank in suoh a manner that its edgo will project a half-Inch H below the plank at the ditch end, H whilo the end of the iron toward the H middle of tho road should bo flush with the edgo of tho plank. If tho H face of the plank stands plumb t will H be woll to wedgo out the bottom of the M Iron with a wodgo-shaped piece- of B wood to givo tho iron a sot similar to m that of a plane bit. H A platform of Inch boards cleated H togother, with cracks an Inch wldo H botween tlo boards to prevent dirt B from colluding on top, 1h placed on H the cross-pieces of tho drag to furnish H a platform for tho driver. This plat-B plat-B form should rost upon tho cross-H cross-H pieces between tho planks without bo-H bo-H lug fastened to the drag. It lo not M shown in tho Illustration. M Any chain having the strength of a B trace chain may bo used to draw the M drag and should be attached as shown 1 in the picture, but the proper posl- M tlon for attaching the doubletrees H must bo doterrolned by experiment B and will vary with the kind of work M done. Tho chain Bhould be about nine 1 feet long far a drag of the size shown B in the cut and should have the eyo M for tho clovls put In about three feet H from tho end. Tho ohain attaches by M moans of au oyebolt, ns shown In tho 1 picture, to tho ditch or blado end of H the drag. Tho. other end of tho chain 1 should finish with a grabhoolc for uso H In adjusting tho length of tho hitch M after the chain Is passed around the M cross-piece at the road end of the drag. M Commonly the drag Bhould follow B the toam at an 'angle of about forty H live degrees with tholr lino of travel, B to cause tho dirt to move steadily and j freely along tho faces of the planka fl from tho dltoh toward tho center of H the road. In ovory case the aagln at j which tho drag will travel can be gov H erned by tho position of tho hltrtt, m which is changed within reasonable H limits by lengthening or shortening j tho chain, and by tho position of tfc driver on the drag. A very little B perlenco will onablo anyone to aajs6 M theso tlilngB satisfactorily. |