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Show IIS t DRAGGING ROADS IN SPRING By Taking Advantage of Proper Mo ment Many of Ruts and Bumps Can Be Smoothed Out. Most earth and gravel roads are In bud shape during the entire winter, largely because of the heavy full hauling haul-ing of harvested crops, and the rush of neeessnry farm work, which takes ptcccdenee over any kind of roud work. The cold weather striken them In this condition and makes each rut nnd bump almost us solid as rock, nnd in the spring these break down Into mud. Traveling over these ruts Is a very racking, uncomfortable, and someilmen painful, operation. The rough Jolts require re-quire a reduction In speed, cause an added strain nn all classes of hauling even, i " 1 vf ' c 1 eivm JbSP C i"A" I I as Plan of Plank Road Drag. equipment, nnd frequently force the automobile au-tomobile owner to abandon the use of his car for the entire spring rather than risk a breakdown. THost of fheunplensfliiUiPSS hfltr air Acuity may be remedied In many local ities even In the worst weather, for there are times when the worst cut-up cut-up surface Is in fairly good condition for dragging. I)y taking advantage of the proper moment, the ruts nnd bumps can be smoothed out nnd the next freeze will result In a smooth hnrd-aurfuced hnrd-aurfuced pike that can bo favorably compared to a concrete highway. Owing to the fact tlmt the road surface sur-face will be rather wet and sticky when dragged, greater care must be exercised In bundling the drag. If the blades of the drug are set vertically, there will be a tendency to scrape up loo much earth, or, In the language of the road man, "Hall up In front." Also, If the hitch to the team 1b sot too near the center, the ungle of the drag with the road will be too nearly a right angle, or straight across, to shed or crown the wet earth. Dragging Cider these conditions should be more an "Ironing out the wrinkles" process ; hence the blades of the drag should be given a forward or Aatter Inclination than when working work-ing a dry roud. Tt e hitch should be so arranged that the angle of the drug Is more neurly parallel to the road than ordinary, thus causing the ca'Y.i to shed better and prevent trouble. For extremely bad conditions, the use of tho road machine ahead of the drs.g will be found effective. In all cases, the road should be freed of all stumps, snsii's, sjtd bow 1'b rs, as these seriously retard good dragging. A little practice will enable tho open op-en tor to do a fairly creditable Job, nnd after a subsequent freeaa the rosid will present a smoother and much more 1 comfortable surface. Thou, when the spring rains come, the road win quick- I ly shod the water that formerly col- I lected In the dei : nn . and be dry and li. i-d Imig before similar rosuls not dragg ,!- The present difficulties encountered in gotiing large amounts of crushed stone for road repair w esattatea the greatest esue In maintaining all road surfaces lu the bi I possible way without with-out the use of additional materials. |