The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1912-07-11

10 cultivate with profit land which
otherwise would be less proftably EN-.
ployed.
There are about 100000 acres OF
unlmproved farm land In the United
States An average annual proft OF
80 cents an acre on this land would
mean a net gain to the wealth OF the
United States OF 500. 100000 year.
Truck products and small fruits must
be delivered quickly TO market II. any
profit IS to be realized. Truck and
small fruit farms cannot be maintained
with profit II long haul over bad
roads intervenes between them and
the railroad station. A network OF
first class hard smooth roads will al.
most Immediately increase the number
OF truck, fruit and dairy farms in any
community While the average value
of wheat per acre Is only $7.03 and
corn 1872, the average value Of vege
tables per acre IL about $40 and OF
small fruits $50.
There Is a steady trend OF popula-
ton from the country to the city. and
this may be attributed to some extent
to bad roads During the ten year pc
Rod 1S90-lo00 the cities gained 2,lIi,-
600 more people than the country. In
1860 only l61 per cent OF the popula-
tion lived In cities, In 1900 the city
population represented about 81 per
cent OF the total. and now 1t is proba-
bly, about As per cent
With hundreds OF millions OF acres
Of land uncultiyated we have the spec
tacle OF hundreds of thousands or hui
man beings crowded into the cities,
while year after year the human tide
rolls restlessly IN from the country toI
furnish more consumers aud decrease
the number OF producers.
To prove that relation exists be-
tween the question OF population and
roads the following illustration may be
cited.
la twenty-five counties selected from
eastern, southern, western and north. /
western states II has been found that
only III per cent Of roads were I'm.
proved IN 1904 These same counties
show an actual decrease in population
averaging 3.Il2 for each county for the
ten year period 1890 1880 Twenty .dre
other counties located In the same
states containing 40 per cent Of im.
proved roads show an actual Increase
10 population for each county OF 3l,0J5,
Whether good roads cause good
schools, or vice versa. II Is true that
they exist together and that one OF the
most important reasons for their Inn
provement Il their effect on school at
tendance 10 the country. IL the coun.
ny schools are to have a maximum ef'
aclency IN training and instruction the
children must be afforded facilities for
reaehiag them, With improved roads
the graded school and the consolidated
school will replace the little one room
one teacher schools 30 prevalent IN
many sections Of the country.
ia. possibilities " a region Of i'm
proved roads are made apparent by
maay examples " schools which oper.
ate wsgons regularly. which gather up
The pupils and carry them to and from
school Mhen the roads are placed Ia
such condition rs to make this practice
general tremendous impetus giil lie
giye1 70 education 10 the Quilted States
10 Illustrate this phase 81 the sub.
ject the following example may he
died. IN ave states conspicuous FOR
their coed roads there Was 10 1894 an
lyersge school attendance o. 7Ti3 per
~. While II Glx eihyg states having