No abstract

THE oiling of earth roads has been practised on a small scale in a number of places for the past fifteen years. €alifornia has .done more of this work than any other State, primarily on account of its natural resources and climatic conditions. It has used a large amount of oil and has successfully maintained many of its roads by tbis method, largely on account of the high grade oil that is available at a very low cost and also on account of the sandy condition of the soil, and the light winters tbat prevail. Illinois can never expect to accomplish the same re sults in oiling earth roads as has California. The black, loamy soil, the low and poor ly drained conditions of many of the roads, together with the severe winters and springs make it a fallacy to expect anything like a permanent road to result from the use of road oil. It should be kept in mind that continued oiling will not make an earth road entirely satisfactory for all locali ties or for all conditions of traffic. The oiling of earth roads, like dragging, is a maintenance proposition. The intelligent use of oil, like the continued use of tbe road drag, will maintain the earth road so that it will mate rially improve the present conditions existing on many of the earth roads in Illinois. The oiling of earth roads sbould not be practised pro miscuously, but used only where the roads are suited to such work. The intelligent use of oils on many earth roads is unquestionably a justlfiable expense. It is the purpose of this publication to present as many facts concerning the use of oil as it is possible to secure at tbis time, also to describe what is shown by experience to be the best method of preparing the road and apply ing the oil together with a few suggestions that may be of some assistance to tbe contractor or individual who has such work under consideration. THE SELECTION OF ROADS FOR OILING. Roads should not be oiled until they have a perma nently established grade; that is, all hills should be cut down, hollows filled, embankments widened, and all drainage structures established. Low, flat, undrained roads should not be oiled until proper drainage bas been attended to. The oiling of a mudhole will not remedy