Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-06-28

the cssel Are we no, all, as sgeiculturis.s,
following the came reck, aiming for the
same goal, success' We are bound togeIh-
er BY ties Of sympathy. q use The word, not
with reference to feeling, but to interest and
pursuit,) stronger perhaps than any other
clsse, because Agriculture is q science, in
its progressive state, therefore requiring the
mos, extensive experience and mos! harmo-t
nious coincidence Of action TO ensure suc-s
cess. II has no basis Of fixed principles for
its operations, like some other branches Of
indus,rial pursuits, but is as yet uncertsin,
no, fully developed, hardly out Of its infan-
cy. How Important, then, that it should be
supported in its feeb.eness BY the strong
arm Of the laws and the hearty action ofits
followers Let US then be convinced of
and appreciate the dignity Of our position
as votaries Of a science, rather than mere
drudges, ignorsn. Of the application Of SCI
enliic principles to our operations. Much
more nigh, be said upon Q subject SO pro-
life Of wholesome reflections, but ! have
already wandered farther from my coutee
than intended, seduced by the interest Of
the theme and it's connection with the object
Of this article.
On this branch OF the subject, also, there
is exhibited the same practical nonchalsnce.
All travellers over bad roads experience
their inconveniences and dangers, (and
sometimes the experience is dearly boughD
are frequently annoyed, and perhaps are
tempted 10 curse the wrelched contrivance,
ye. the impression is transi.ory, the cause
of annoyance is passed and with i,goes our
resentment. To be sure this is very com.
mendable and truly Christian spirit thus to
bear no illwill for injuries received, but it
would be more commendable still 10 pre-
xeaiAhea injury end thus save ourvtemper.
Wherever Agriculture is in a fourshiug
condition, there will always be found high
ways, we'll made, well repaired, firm,
smooth, easy travelled. And jus. in propor-
ton to the more or less improved state of
any agricultural section will the roads be
found more or less improved. 10 truth, SO
generally, / may say universally, is this the
case, that one nigh. safely undertake 10
predicate an opinion Of the agricultural con-
dition Of any section of the counHy from
the s.sie Of the highways. They are sl-g
mos, as inseparably connected as cause and
effect. A community that by the exercise
of energy, skill and well-direc,ed labor, can
make "lwo blades OF grass grow where one
grew before,'' will nfallbiy by the same g.
gences facilitate 10 the utmost extent the
transportation of those ''two blades" and
with their improved facilities, can IS easily,
aye more easily, carry TO market the two
blades as the one could be carried Previous
ly. Though the cost Of constructing these
frs. class roads is very great, yet lhey have
always been found remunera.ive. In OIL
mos, all highly cultivated districts are found
plank roads, stone roads, railroads, at q
cos. Of from $500 10 $4,000 or $4,000
per miles. Ye, they psy-and can We in
The mids. Of this general march Of improve
men,, acknowledge ourselves so low in the
scale Of public enterprise as to remain sat-
isfied with the miserable condition of our
highways, where deep sand or deeper mud,
slumps, ru,s, gullies, so frequently endan-
ger life, teams or vehicles, besides requiring
for draugh, double the amount of s.reng1he :
How often do we not observe the case Of
road with s,umps SO close 10 the road as
10 Craze the wheels or stumps on one
side and gullies on the o'her-scylia and
Chsry bdis-or sgsin, as have seen, fence
within a few inches of The track on one side
and yswning ravine on the o'hers Now
let us enter upon the practical details, es,i-
mating the coaspara,ive economy Of labor
required for draught on good and bad roads,
] would remark, here however, that do
no, wish to be understood as advocating the
introduction here as yet Of plank roads or
,urnpikes-,ime enough for ths, bot sim
ply such on improvement Of the common
road to make its passage easy and safe,
requiring q reasonable amount Of term. and
u piessnre instead Of an unpleasant an.ieips-
lion. In order 10 appreciate thoroughly the
sdvsn,sges Of good, 6rm road, we must pro-
coed upon mechanical principles and they
are few and simple as applied 10 our present
purpose.
One of the creates. difficulties to be over
come in the transit Of lOsds is friction, or
the resistance offered by The road 10 the
progressive motion Of body, and just in
proportion as that is obvialed will The fa-
cili,y Of draugh. be incresed. Now, i. is
evident, wi.hou, any discussion, that good
hard road offers far less impedlment to
draugh. than deep, muddy and sandy one.
Bu. what is the amount Of difference be-
tween them. ln order to presen, clear
idea of The difference of roads in this re-
spec,, subjoin The following table taken
from a small work on the application Of
mechsnicsi principles to fsrming. Tie
standard taken is ton weight, 10 draw
W hieh on freely running wheels, on q per-
fec, level, the strength required is aboa. as
follows SO aa$ as.l aHrH @#e -3ss.
On hard, smooth plank road, 40 pounds
On q good McAds,hised 60 " sc
On good hard common I" 100 {" ser
On . soft 200 s.
According to tho above table, the resis.