The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1908-10-16
GOOD ROADS
AND ACRICUL TURE
Hauling over Bad Roads Is Expen-
SiVe.

/ Southern Railroad, writes the follow
ing interesting article for Virginia Pr
/ lot
In their piles to my letter Of July
81, 1905, on the subject of diversified
ton Of Southern agriculture and indus
tries, some of the editors to whom it
was sent asked me to write to them
from time to time on matters Of inter
est to the people of our section. This
has led me to take the liberty of adj
dressing you on topic Of Importance
to all our people, and especially to the
farmers of the South.
II the farm is TO be profitable it must
not merely produce abundant crops, but
It's products must be put where they
can be sold. BY whatever means Of
transportation they may ultimately be
carried before they reach the final con-
sumner, our farm products move pri-
marily over the country highways, and
the condition of the road leading from
the farm to the shipping point or to a
nearby consuming center, such as
manufacturing town, affects materially
the profits Of the farmer and the value
of his farm. The condition Of the road
controls 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 che same vehicle and the same
team, load seventy-five or one hun
dred per cent heavier, will result in a
substantial saving in his time and in
the wear and tear of his vehicles and
teams. The construction Of good roads
leading from a market town has practi-
cally the same effect as bringing the
farms nearer to the town. 1t extends
by several miles in every direction the
area of territory IN which farmers can
profitably engage in market gardening
and dairying. That this is true has
been effectively demonstrated in those
localities in the Southern States and in
other sections Of the country where
road improvements have been carried
out intellgently and systematically.
The cost TO the farmer Of hauling his
products over poor roads is not always
appreciated, for the reason that it 10
rare that farmer pays for having his
hauling done. The u. S. Department
of Agriculture has made an lnYestiga-
ton Of this matter, however, and the
stance, to be an average rate of TWEEN
ty-seven cents per ton per mile for an
average haul Of 11.8 miles. That road
improvement would materially reduce
this cost is shown by the following
striking statement in the Year Book OF
the Agricultural Department for 1906
''lf it were possible to increase the
average weight of a wagon load of cot
ton in the United States from three
bales, as it now is, to four bales, with
out increasing the cost of hauling the
load, the saving on a crop equal to the
one picked in 1905 would amount to
81, 900, 900 and if the average load of
wheat, now 55 bushels, were increased
by 20 bushels, the saving effected in
hauling a crop like that of 1905 would
be more than So, 200, 0OO."
In addition to what may be termed
the commercial aspect of good roads
they have a highly important social as
pect as we'll They bring the farmer
into closer touch with the world at
large. He and his family are not forced
to remain at home for days ut a time
because the condition Of the roads may
make travel unpleasant if not difficult
Good roads insure efficient and prompt
rural mail deliveries, placing the news
paper on the table of the famer early in
the day of its publication, enabling him
to transact much Of his business by
mail and to take&advantage Of early in
formation as to fuctuation in the prices
Of his farm products. Good roads mean
that the farmer and the members Of his
family can enjoy to a greater degree
the society Of their neighbOrs and friends
in the town and country. They mean
that the children can be more regular in
school attendance and can receive to a
greater degree the advantage Of educa-
ton. They mean the bringing closer to-
gether of the town and country, with
advantages on both sides, for as the
farmer is benefited by being brought
into closer touch with the town, so all
the business interests Of the town pros
per as the result of the facility with
which the farmer and his family can do
their shopping. Good roads also benefit
the inhabitants of. towns and cities by
affOrding facilities for pleasant country
drives. They invite the business man TO
the establishment Of country and subur-
ban homes, such as he can enjoy only
when he is assured that the condition
Of the roads will be such as TO enable
him 10 reach his place Of business
promptly in all kinds Of weather.
think IL may truthfully be said that
there are few matters of such general
Importance TO all the people of any COM
munity as the provision Of good roads,
and | halioVa therefore that All Of M