Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-02-18
FARMERS CONVENTION.
Concluded from fourth page. J

ROAD MATERIAL.
1.-THE State abounds in the best of road
materials and should be able to build roads
cheaper than almost any other State, and
localities for quarry camps, where the vari-
GUS trap and dixie rock comes to the surface,
are to be found in most every section. On
account Of this the best of road material
could be furnished by means of convict
labor at the nominal price of twenty-five
cents ton, completely prepared and loaded
In cars. The railroads of the State undertook
to carry material at cost of train service, so
that the counties which have no stones at
all are getting material furnished at their
doors at fifty cents per ton, or about one
half the com mercial value of the same ma
terial where stone is plentiful.
COST OF ROADS
"The progress of road improvements in
the country is constantly cheapening the
cost OF road building. Roads which cost
ten thousand dollars per mile ten years ago
in New Jersey are duplicated now for three
TO four thousand dollars; other roads equal.
ly good, but narrower, are being built in
other localities where material is more plen-
tiful, for $1,000 to 81 500 per mile. These
are single track roads, with dirt roads on
one or both sides. This plan of building
is becoming more and more popular, and 1t
gives perfect satisfaction. No trouble is
found in turning off, since teams never meet
twice in exactly the same spot, and the users
of the road have a choice between the dirt
and stone roads. A great portion of this
State has an abundance of stones in the
fields, quite good enough for all but the
surface of macadsmized road. All that is
necessary is to provide portable stone crush.
ers and rollers. The rolling of stone for the
road is more important than is generally
conceded. II properly carried on and road
well wetted the road becomes at once smooth
and solid
ROAD TAXATION.
"The difficulty in all bodybuilding is the
raising of money. This, too, is becoming
easier, as the farmers are beginning to re-
alize the cost of bad roads to themselves,
and the cities and corporations are showing
an inclination to build good roads. Those
counties which have the courage to borrow
money for roadbuilding have generally
found their taxes decreased by the incom-
ing of outside capital obtained by good
roads. Road bonds are becoming a favorite
investment forlcaptalsts by reason of the
fact that every dollar invested in roads adds
from IS to $40 to the value of property in
the county.
"lf Congress should pass the postal saw
ings bill and give preference to the invest.
ment of those savings in bonds used for road
improvements the counties will be able TO
get their road funds as fast as they can i'm.
prove their roads. AT 2 per cent. per annum
this can be paid out OF the present taxation
and still leave enough to keep roads in
order"
SUGAR BEET CULTURE.
MIR. ii. W. Wiley, of the chemistry de-
partment of agriculture, who has had charge
of sugar beet work since 1884, said: "The
principal feature in this culture Is to find
the locality where the best beet can be pro-
duced, and my studies have been devoted
particularly to that purpose. In general the
best beet are grown in regions where the
mean temperature for June, July and August
is not above II degrees. The northern limit
Of beet culture is determined by the time at
which freezing weather sets in. Wherever
freezing weather may be expected before
the 10th Of November it is precarious to
beets. The climate of Maryland is mostly
too warm for successful beet culture except
in the western part, on the plateau of the
Allegany mountains, where excellent beets
can be grown. Beets of fairly good quality
can be grown In other parts OF the State.
To grow beets it requires the highest degree
of scientific agriculture; slip shop farming
is entirely disbarred When beets are prop.
ery grown the fertility of the soil is ia.
creased, and all kinds of crops produced In
greater abundance, especially is this true of
wheat and other cereals. Wherever beet
culture has been introduced it has been
found that the value of lands increased and
all kinds of farming became more profitable"
Prof. II. J. Patterson, of the Maryland
Experiment Station, delivered an address
completely covering the subject of fertility.
. .