The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1908-10-04

Dear Sir:-In their replies to my
letter of July S1st, 1908. on the sub
ject of dfversification of southern ag-
riculture and industries, some of the
editors to whom 1t was sent asked me
TO write to them from time to time
on matters of interest to the people of
our section. This has led me to take
the liberty OF addressing you on a
topic Of Importance to all our people
and especially to the farmers of the
south.
If the farm is TO be profitable IT
must not merely produce abundant
crops, but its products must be put
where they can be sold By what
ever means of transportation they
may ultimately be carried before they
reach the final consumer, cur farm
products move primarily over the
country highway, and the condition
of the road leading from the farm to
the shipping point or to a nearby con-
Stunning center such as manufactur-
ing town, affects materially the profits
Of the farmer and the value of his
farm. The condition of the road con-
trolls the size of the load that can be
hauled over it and the speed at which
it can be carried, An improvement
by which the farmer is enabled to
carry, with the same vehicle and the
same team, a load Of rs or 100 per
cent. heavier, will result in a sub
stantial saving in his time and in the
wear and tear of his vehicles and his
teams. The construction Of good
roads leading from market town has
practically the same effect in every
direction, the area Of territory in
which farmers can proftably engage
in market gardening and da!rying.
That this is true has been effectively
demonstrated In those localities in the
southern states and in other sections
of the country where road improve
ments have been carried out intelli-
gently and Systematically.
The cost to the farmer of hauling
his products over poor roads is not
always appreciated, for the reason
that 1t is rare that farmer pays for
having his hauling done. The United
States department OF agriculture has
made an investigation OF this matter,
however, and the results show the
cost for cotton, for instance, to be an
average rate of q cents per ton per
mile for an average haul Of 11.S
miles. That road improvement would
materially reduce this cost is shown
by the following striking statement in
the year book of the agricultural de-
partment for 1906:
IF ii were possible to increase the
average weight of a wagon load of cot
ton in the United States from three
bales, as 1t now is, TO four bales, with
out increasing the cost of hauling the
LOAD, the saving on q crop equal to
the one picked in 1905 would amount
to $1,000, 900; and IL the average load
of wheat, now So bushels, were in
creased bv 20 bushels. the saving ef-
f-cted in hauling crop like that of
1905 would be more than IS, 600, 600"
In addition to what may be termed
The commercial aspect of good roa Is
they have highly important so 'al
aspect as veil. They bring the ia
mar into c:osei touch with the world
at large. lie and his family are ~,
forced to itnain a. home fer days at
TIM, leranso tie condition of the
roads may make travelling unpleasant
If not difficult. Goods roads insure
efficient and prompt rural mail delv-
cries. placing the newspaper on the
table of the farmer early ON the day
of its publication, enabling him to
transact much of his business by mail
and to take advantage of early infor-
nation as to fluctuation in the prices
Of his farm products. Good roads
mean that the farmer and the mem
bers of his family can enjoy to
greater degree the society of their
nc;ghbors and friends In the town and
country. They mean that his chill
dren can be more regular in school
attendance and can receive to
greater degree the advantages OF edu-
cation They mean the bringing closer
together of the town and country with