The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-10-24
THE FARMERS INTEREST IN
GOOD ROADS.

Whlic every farmer may not be look
ing to Il sale of his lands, he is certain
~ interested in their inc eased value
rs a part Of the estate he will some day
leave TO his children. 1t is an undis-
putcd fact that good roads increase
the salablc value of farm property for
more than their COS TO the farm. And
II is not only the public roads but the
farm Il that need attention. Where
a farm is properly laid out and good
hard roads are maintained to every
part of it, the crops are more easily
moved, and III the busy season much
llmc can be saved on Il large farm by
having hay barracks convenient to the
moving hclds where hay can be stored
temporarily, and hauled To the barn i'm
me leisure season. But if when this
leisure season comes, the farm roads
are deep quagmires, this saving of time
cannot be afforded and the teams must,
haul the hay TO the barn in the busiest
season because then the ground is dry.
inc writer once managed a large stock
farm IN n mountain country, where the
natural soil was sure to yet into deem
mud III wet weather, and by usinu or.
pOrlunltioS hat came at times we
gradually got The farm roads macad-
amlHed with The abundant rocks that
encountered the hills. Then when
haying on the low grounds we were not
obliged To hurry the hay ZIP the lone
hills leading to the barn, but could put
1t und"r temporary shelters ALONGSIDE
lhc meadows to be hauled at leisure.
lhlS saving Of time in haying and
harvest Will soon pay for making good
roads III the farm.
But ii is the public roads over which
all OF the farm produce sold must he
carried to market that require the first
attention. On Il well kept Garth road
to Cape Charles City, Va, aSiuric pair
hauls 60 bushels Of potatoes To The rail.
road, and the mules are not worked
near so hard us they would be To ham
10 barrels on Il soft and muddy road.
IhlS Is an immense gain to the truck
larmcr who has To use every cIIol; I,
get his produce of to market at fin,
earliest possible moment. One trim q,
the hard road saves five others. an,
does 1t with less wear on team or WAC
on. me same saving can be made on
any larm which has produce to b,
hauled, ANA the most amazing thin,
about 1t IS that the farmers who ar,
most Interested in having good road
Than any other class, are usually fin,
ones who oppose extra taxes for th,
improvement of The roads whcn the,
are annually losing far more than in,
tax by reason of the mud. A pair 0
horses Will haul Il load of wheat I,
market on good roads while the sam
par Will have To work harder TO haul
fourth OF a load in times of mud an,
bad roads.
There is no tax that the farmer yet
back more rapidly than a tax for 600,
r"aus. liut we must remember tina
good roads need care as much as an
to keep them good. Any ncriectc,
road Will wear out, Hnd we have bcror
us daily Il road tina; WAS well macadom
l%cu ten years ago, and which has
+ hcaVy travel V c it and has wotc,
worn INTO holes. On Il m~acadam'yc,
road a supply of finely broken roc
kept IN piles at intervals Will make tn
inc mcndlng easy and the road wi
keep good. This will be far less OK
pcnslVc than letting il run down bclor
undertaking its repair. The same ma
be sald OF sand roads that are covcrr,
with clay or gravel. The holes shoul
DC patched as soon as they arc holes
Sand and gravel on clay roads vii
work into holes at times, and once hay
ing Il good road surface Il little care a.
, the tlmc will keep it GOOD. This car
OF the roads might dcvolvc on the own
erS OF the land fronting on it, an,
once having a good road made, th
, Keeping of 1t should be the pride O
every farmer along its route. All raj
road companies should pay special ia.
Tor the Keeping Of good roads TO thci
stations, for they profit thereby, and
Is to their interest to make the station
accessible PI'0cticGi Fuumcr.