which you can sell, and then plant so as to have plenty to sell in the fall.

Do not let your faith, hope and activity be taken from you, neither depart from some of the plain, simple, economical ways of your fathers.

REVISION OF THE ROAD LAW.

That our road law needs revision is generally admitted. As it now stands, it is like an unsorted lot of apples or potatoes, containing good, bad and indifferent features. The many township, county and State laws now on the statute books, with various amendments, should be superseded by a general State law, one that will be plain and simple, and meet the want of the present day in the different parts of the State. We are convinced that this is no easy task. Intelligent, practical men should be employed to draft a good law, for it is an important subject, affecting our common interest more largely than is generally supposed. There has been a growing interest on the subject in our county, for several years. Our confusion over the road law, and the many incompetent overseers, who have wasted the money placed in their hands, has led to curtailing our general road tax, and raising in its stead a heavy special tax for buying and placing on the roads, after they are graded, crushed stone, overlying the centre from eight to twelve feet in width, and from six to ten inches in depth. In this way nearly half of our villages, and part of our main roads have been much improved, remaining hard and smooth the year round. The taxes are heavy, but very little complaint is made, and only by those who live in the outskirts of the town or district, and have to pay an equal proportion with those whose streets are improved. The roads not stoned are as bad as ever.

COUNTY ROADS.

At present we are studying how to put the main roads of our county in the condition which the travel upon them demands. The opinion held by many is that roads should be divided into two classes, viz: County and township. The first to be maintained at the expense of the county and controlled by its officers,

and the by-roads to be kept in order by the township and in charge of its officers. As our Board of Chosen Freeholders have charge of the bridges and other county matters, it seems but proper that they should have charge of the roads, if the change is made. They represent the tax payers, one from each township, and are as likely to be worthy of confidence as any set of men we are likely to elect. One reason for taking our main roads out of the hands of the township is, that they frequently pass through townships that are indisposed or too poor financially to put them in the condition that the travel on them calls for. They need help, and the cities and towns outside, which are benefitted, should aid them.

WHO SHALL MAKE AND REPAIR THE ROADS?

It may look at first as though all roads passing through the country districts should be maintained by the property owners, especially as the cities and towns take care of their streets, but then, when we think there are ten carriages from the city using these roads for every country wagon or carriage, and also that good country roads invite people of means, who help build up the towns and cities, as well as the country, and the increased population buy and employ, and make business lively, especially for town people, we think it is only fair that they bear a part of the heavy tax. If we tax these towns for the purpose, we must give them a voice in saying how and where the money shall be spent.

TAXES, AND HOW RAISED.

We believe it would be well to guard against excessive taxation, and, therefore, would set some amount beyond which the county officials shall not go. In our county it is thought that no special tax in one year should be in excess of one-quarter of one per cent., and no bonds be issued, when the total indebtedness of the county shall exceed three per cent. of the assessed value of the real estate.

As considerably more than half of our county tax is raised in our cities, it follows, that should our county assume the entire cost, as is proposed by some, and be paid for, not by direct annual tax, but by issuing bonds falling due over a series of

years, with a provision for a sinking fund, the principal cost will fall upon the cities and not on farm land. Those who live among us in future years will help pay for the improvement, while placing the tax on the township or county at large, if pursued, would simplify the collection and disbursement of the money, and would doubtless do away with not a little disputing over assessments. We are inclined to think a more just method wonld be to make assessments near by, when the improvements are made, the county at large paying one-half or two-thirds, as may be thought best. Roads that are already properly graded and stoned should have credit for the improvement. It might be well to divide the roads into sections of one mile, then those property owners for half a mile on each side of the borough or village that wishes to make improvements beyond what the county deems necessary, can, of themselves, come together and say what extra expense they wish to go to. If the majority vote to grade from fence to fence, or stone from gutter to gutter, they may do so, and assess the extra cost on the adjoining property, four-sixths on the property fronting on the road or street, (twosixths on each side), and two-sixths on the land beyond three hundred feet and within a half mile of the road (one-sixth on each side).

HOW MADE.

While it is not the purpose of this report to speak of the advantages of good roads, or tell how to build them, we think it well to guard against extravagant expenditure, and therefore, in framing a law, would go somewhat into detail, stating how and what shall and shall not be done. It would be money well spent to employ a surveyor to map out the road. The centres of the main roads should have an easy grade. Where there are hills, a sufficient portion should be cut out and carted to the lower lands, and nicely turnpiked before being covered with stone. If the soil is inclined to be wet or springy, one or two tile drains underneath the stone bed, the ditch filled with common field stone, and a water outlet at the end of every grade will help to keep the foundation solid, and a less thickness of stone will be required. Crushed trap rock from the hills in our county is the only material we find lasting and hard the year round. Most of our field

stone is of too soft a nature to stand the wear. Many of our conservative men think from eight to fifteen feet of the centre of our country roads a sufficient width for travel bed, and from six to ten inches in thickness of cracked stone. It needs re-dressing every two or three years. Stones larger than an egg are objectionable, even when put under the surface one foot. In time, the wagon wheels will wear off, and the heavy rains wash away the finer stone, and the frost and heavy teaming disturb and bring them to the surface, where they will be a nuisance.

Putting the work out by contract is often the most economical system. We are inclined to think the feature of the old law allowing the property owner or farmer to work out his road tax was not a bad one. He should be, and we believe he is interested in having good roads, especially in front of his own place, and as he has a team, and the paying of cash in the fall may be a hardship, we would retain this feature in the township system. Exact that the larger part of the work be done before the first of September, and a full and faithful day's work be given. Another advantage of dividing the work of grading and stoning the roads into mile sections is, it would give farmers of limited means a chance to bid for the work. The carting of the stone might be done in the winter season, when teams are mostly idle.

SIDE WALKS.

When the neighborhood demands it, compel land owners, or make it a part of the overseers' work to level off (not grade) the ground in front of their places, if it is not already done. The stone should be picked up and bushes grubbed up; fix a passable side walk on one side of the road, top dressing the soil with gravel, coal ashes, cinders, crushed stone, or boards if necessary, whichever the owner chooses, so long as he provides a safe and dry walk the year round. When the owner of the property adjacent and the town committee assumes the work, assess one-half on the side of the road where the walk is, and twosixths on the land on the opposite side of the road, and onesixth on the township at large; sow mixed grasses over all the ground, but the wagon track, and set out and protect shade trees, and have the ground all mowed over twice during the summer, June

and August. It might be well to allow townships or road districts the right to rent out the pasture on roads and commend to reliable persons who will carefully watch their animals, do the mowing and keep the foul weeds down, and be responsible for all damages their sheep or animals may do, only, however, by the permission of the township committee and property owners along the line of the road. Offer some inducements to property owners to set out shade trees on the side walks and protect them from injury. Offer some inducement for using broader tires on heavy wagons; it is a good thing for the roads, if not for the horses and wagons. If we had a Prohibition Legislature we would advocate the right of every county to compel all brewers who send wagons out through the county to take out a license for each and every wagon. They have the right and do sue us when the roads do not suit them. No wagons wear out our roads faster than they do, and their coming does us no good.

The running of animals at large, even when watched, should be prohibited. Compel every man to fence in his animals except when necessary to drive them on the road, to and from pasture or market or for a reasonable purpose. Empower land owners or their servants to pound animals found loitering along the road. Let every farmer's barnyard be a pound if he wishes, he to notify the owner of the cattle immediately, as to where they are, amount of pound fees, and damages, if any.

If there is any dispute let it be settled, if possible, by two or three near neighbors. Let the proceedings for trying to prevent taking the animals to the pound or the taking them out of the pound without permission, be simple and severe for a second offence. Make the pound fees even money; twenty-five cents for the one impounding the stock, twenty-five cents for letting in and letting out, and twenty-five cents a day or part of a day for keeping.

OVERSEERS.

We must have some one whose business it is to look after the roads-some responsible head, both in our county and township system. If the work is done by contract, some one ought to see that the agreement is carried out. If the Town Committeemen or Chosen Freeholders inspect the work they have to be paid. To