 D. Ward King of Maitland, Missouri requested a patent for the process in 1907 and received Patent 884,497 in 1908.He widely publicized the process in a U.S. Department of Agriculture "Farmers' Bulletin" #321 in 1908 under the title "The use of the split-log drag on earth roads" An important component of the grading process was that it had to occur when the road was wet.This invention was the horse drawn forerunner of the modern day road grader.