ROAD MAKING. 247 



work improving ; and the report of their labor was, that they had 

 got the hills a little hig'her and the roads a little narrower than be- 

 fore, and the bottoms remained as they were. That was the 

 result of ignorance ; and is also evidence of the indifference in the 

 public mind in relation to this important matter. 



Enarineering: should be studied much more than it is in common ' 

 schools and in the higher shools. If I were going to educate 

 boys practically, it strikes me that after teaching them to read, 

 write and cipher, I would put them all on chemistry and engineer- 

 ing. I would teach them to analyze soils and manures, and to 

 make highways. 



Mr. Putnam of Houlton. For thirty-five or forty years I have 

 made more or less road every year, but I have learned a great 

 deal within the last hour in regard to the subject. I will state how 

 I made a piece of road, within a year, through the woods. The 

 road was laid out by the County Commissioners. The selectmen 

 had not raised money to build it, but the county ordered it 

 opened, and they directed me to have it opened. The selectmen said 

 if I would take the tax bills to be paid with statute labor I should 

 have any necessary amount. I told them I did not want to do it 

 in that way, but rather than not have it made I would take it. In 

 the first place I took out all the trees and roots that I could, so 

 that there was little left to prevent the plow froni going along. I 

 then put on a team of six heavy horses and plowed, commencing 

 in the centre and back-furrowing. I kept a gang of men to dig 

 out the roots and stones, and if anything obstructed the plow, I 

 ordered the team to stop and the men would take it out. In that 

 way I cleared the road so that there was nothing left but earth, 

 and scraped that to the width of 24 feet. I plowed four times, 

 back-furrowing each time. After that I had nothing more to do 

 except to bush it. I had two birches cut, as heavy as four horses 

 could haul, and bushed the road. It is a smooth road from end to 

 end, and the work was done for rather less than three doUars a 

 rod. 



I consider it very important to plow thoroughly and deep in 

 building a road, so that when the road is made it will all settle 

 alike, and be left with a smooth surface. I ought to add that 

 after grubbing the road, I sought the proper place for culverts, and 

 put them in to carry off the water from the ditches, so that none 

 should stagnate in them ; if it does, it will be a great injury. I 

 never saw handsomer roads than I have seen made in New Bruns- 



