Care of the Surface

Filling Holes.

After the road has been smoothed by the scraping grader, it is a good plan, particularly if the road is very rough, to send a man with a shovel to fill up all nits and depressions that were too deep to be filled by the scraper. The cost is small, but the benefit is very great. If a deep hole has been filled by the scraper, it is well to add a little more earth to provide for settlement in order to prevent the re-appearance of the hole. The new mate rial should be trodden or tamped solidly into place.

Holes and ruts in an earth road should never be filled with stone, brick, or coarse gravel. The hard material does not wear uniform with the rest of the road, but produces bumps and ridges, and usually results in making two holes, each larger than the original one. It is a bad practice to cut a gutter from a hole to drain it to the side of the road. Filling the hole is the proper course, whether it is dry or contains mud.

If the scraper has left any shoulders next to the side ditches (see 204), they should be carefully removed with the shovel. Fre quently there are holes at the end of bridges and along the side of small wood-box culverts which require attention. Finally, during

the fall the roads should be repaired with special reference to getting them into good shape for the winter. Any saucer-like depressions or ruts should be filled with earth like that of the road-bed.

Removing Stones.

Bumping along over stones is hard upon the rider's back, a strain upon the vehicle, trying on the team, and damaging to the road. All loose stones larger than one inch, or at most two inches, in diameter should be taken entirely away or be piled beyond the side ditches; and stones projecting above the surface should be dug out. Usually the stones can be removed with comparative ease. They should never be left just outside of the trackway, as is sometimes done, to restrict traffic and to obstruct the flow of water from the center to the side ditches.

Not a few inhabitants of towns and villages consider it legiti mate to throw brickbats and stones from their yards into the street. This practice deserves severe condemnation. Many streets could be materially improved at small expense, both in appearance and for travel, by the removal of all stones and bricks.