LIV REPOET OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



Department for publication; that they shall on occasions lecture to 

 students of educational institutions in their localities, and give them 

 assistance where it may be required, furthering- education along these 

 lines. 



It has been farther ari-anged that these experts shall send samples 

 of road material for analysis and testing along the several lines in 

 which road material may be used. These tests will determine resist- 

 ance to heat, moisture, and abrasion, and the cohesive qualities of the 

 different materials. 



It has been further arranged that a testing machine similar to that 

 used at the Johns Hopkins University shall be constructed in the 

 laboratory of the Division of Chemistry and the work put in charge 

 of an expert. The putting of foundation work in charge of compe- 

 tent agents it is hoped will result in gaining scientific information 

 upon which the people of all sections of the country may rely, and 

 upon the establishment of a basis of this kind it is thought the people 

 of the several States may proceed confidently to Ijuild roads most 

 economically. 



INTEREST OF GOOD-EOADS PEOPLE IN SAMPLE-ROAD CONSTRUCTION. 



The organized good-roads people, representing thirty-eight States, 

 resolved at their late meeting at Chicago that $150,000 should be 

 appropriated to enlarge the work of this Department, so that sample 

 roads could be constructed in each State and Territory. This would 

 require an addition of experts and machinery to the present force. 

 Should Congress in its wisdom appropriate this or any other increased 

 sum, every effort will be made to expend it to the best advantage. 

 It was anticipated one year ago, when money was asked and granted 

 to lay scientific foundations for road construction, that more money 

 would be required every year. This action of the people, sympathized 

 with by this Department, indicates full appreciation of expert work 

 that should have been beg'un sooner. 



COOPERATIVE WORK. 



The Office of Public Road Inquiries in this Department has been 

 industrious in the last year in cooperating with people in the several 

 States in the building of experimental roads, as well as with agricidtural 

 and other colleges and with volunteer associations that are interested 

 in this line of work. 



It has not been the intention of this Department to build roads for 

 the people, but rather that our Office of Public Road Inquiries should 

 cooperate with the people who undertake to build roads scientifically, 

 and give them such help as is possible. We find a general spirit of 

 cooperation; transportation companies throughout the country offer 



