The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-03-18
The last talk of the session was by
Prof. Parker. who succeeded Prof.

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| the latter made his name famous
by his experiments in breeding new
varieties of wheat and was called to
Washington and into national prom
inence in the government service.
Prof. Parker brought with him an
apology from Prof. Green, who had
been advertised to come, but was
unavoidably prevented by an inn
portant summons elsewhere. The
visitor paid very thigh compliment
to the talk by Mr.. Tyson which he
had just listened to, and congratu-
lated the audience on having the
benefit of the experience of an ex-
pert practical cattle breeder.
| Prof. Parker observed that the
audience had been listening to good
advice about the care of stock, and
next week at the institute would
hear the best3 speakers along the
lines of other branches of interest to
farmers. AS he was not horticul-
tural expert, he had concluded to
take up a matter of interest to every
citizen good roads. He intimated
that his ride from North Redwood
to this town had suggested that such
a subject might be profitable. and
opened up with a brief defence of
the new road law. He said that
where the law had been fairly tested,
In Dakota, Huston and some other
counties, it has accomplished good
for the roads and the communities
interested. He ADVOCATED the pay
ment of all road taxes in cash under
the optional law, the employment of
a competent county engineer and
the election of man as superin-
tendent in each town who knew how
to handle men and get things done.
He afterward emphasized the need
of the town board allowing such a
man proper compensation 81 day
should not be the limit. The speak
er thought the things to be insisted
on were side bitches to carry off the
water and rounding up road-bed so
as to have a crown that would do
away with standing water in the
roadway. After the ROAD was prop
erly make it should be gone over
with a split log drag after rain
occasionally to fill all ruts and keep
it up properly. He pointed out the
folly of neglecting roads after they
are we'll made, until it becomes nee
essary to make the road over again.
Prof. Parker made a good point in
advocating the hiring by the town
board of heavy traction engine as
motive power for the road scraper.
A threshing engine could usually be
had at road-making time at rental
that would make it cheaper than
horses. while the heavy pressure of
the wheels helped to pack the road
bed. The speaker thought it better
to throw sods into the middle of the
roadway than to spend the time
necessary to remove them altogeth-
er. If the road was kept rounded
up the sods would soon be ground
to dust.
Prof. Parker thought that coun-
try roads could never be properly
maintained until some man in each
township or district should be held
responsible for such maintenance.
Attorney Howard was asked to
take the floor, and after telling a
little story to illustrate his position
at being asked to speak without
any particular subject, proceed
ed to give his opinion of the
drainage question down to date in
his usual vigorous style. He believ-
ed that the drainage problems should
be solved first by head office'at the
state capitol, which should map out
the work for the whole state and
employ a competent force of engi-
neers so as to save the counties from
the expense of work which did not
constitute a part of one.common sys-
tenn and which often did not work
out at all. He thought enough
money was often spent in getting
ready to drain small territory to
pay the actual expense of ditching
complete, if properly managed. He
also set his audience to thinking by
stating that he thought that one Of
the biggest wastes of Minnesota res