246 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL 



that it be done at the expense of all. Wherever the old system of 

 road districts and district overseers is still in vogue it should be abol- 

 ished, and the whole management of the roads in each township put 

 into the hands of the three road commissioners, one of whom should 

 have the necessary time and ability to personally supervise the woi-k. 

 Until this is done there is no chance for good roads, or any com- 

 mensurate return for the money expended. 



Having the township system, attend your next annual town 

 meeting and bring up this subject. Offer a resolution that the high- 

 way commissioners be directed to destroy — not cut off, merely — all 

 noxious weeds in the highways before the seed ripens. You can add 

 to this, if thought proper, the grubbing out of brush and mowing 

 the roads; but better not attempt too much at first. Your com- 

 missioners may growl at the big job laid out for them, but never 

 mind that ; tell them that if the job is a big one the sooner it is 

 commenced the better. 



To supplement their work, the idea of local highway improve- 

 ment societies seems to promise well. These should not be too large, 

 — neighborhood clubs, — and cover a certain definite amount of road- 

 way. Meetings should be held, say once a month, at some con- 

 venient place. At these meetings plans and arrangements can be 

 made for planting trees, improvement of fences, etc., and each month 

 a committee should be appointed to look after the general condition 

 of the road. This committee should request property owners to 

 destroy weeds, and brush and mow the grass when needed, and where 

 they fail to do this, the committee should be empowered to have it 

 done. It will be found that the mere fact that there is an organ- 

 ized effort will be an incentive for individuals to do their part, and, 

 in many cases, there will be a sort of rivalry between neighbors as 

 to who shall have the neatest roadside. 



The scope of such a society can be extended as desired, even to 

 the encouragement of neatness and the destruction of weeds on 

 farms ; but whatever is attetnpted on the highway, no more should 

 be taken hold of than can be thoroughly done. 



The pasturing of stock in the highway is not objectionable where 

 it is done by tethering, or close herding ; but the ranging of stock 

 to crop the grass short in places and leave it untouched in others 

 should not be allowed, any more than irresponsible persons should be 

 allowed to mar the choice bits of grass and leave all the weed 

 patches. 



In most cases then, the important thing is for some one to make 

 a move in this direction. In many locaKties the roads have so long 

 been considered " no man's land," a place to scour plows, a place to 

 dump tin scraps and other refuse, a place to throw brush and bad 

 weeds, a place to dig out earth for grading, and sometimes even used 

 as a barn-yard and a storing place for farm implements, that a little 



