192 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



"is farming a success! 



Mr. Green claimed that at the present rates of interest a young man without 

 capital could not purchase a farm and both make his living and pay the inter- 

 est of the purchase money, off the proceeds of the land. 



In the discussion that followed tliis address it was evident that some of the 

 farmers present took a different view of tlie matter. Mr. T. D. Bryan stated 

 that he came to Michigan a good many years ago, without capital, and bought 

 a farm. lie had now four farms, all paid for, and a good deal of the purchase 

 money lie had hired at ]0 per cent. 



Mr. Frank P. Davis, of Vermontville, read the following paper on 



J5 



''highways and bridges. 



In presenting this paper we shall not attempt to go into the general science 

 of roadmaking ; nor do we expect to present much that is new. The subject of 

 roadmaking has been very thoroughly written up by men who have made it 

 their life work, and all that we can attempt to do in the time allowed is to 

 show how a road that will keep in fair condition during all seasons of the year, 

 can be constructed and kept up with no other materials than tlie clay and loam 

 of which our common roads are made. 



The questions of alignment, grades, bridging, etc., which will arise, must be 

 settled by a careful study of each particular case, by a competent engineer who 

 should prepare a profile of the surface of the ground and establish grades, both 

 for the surface of the finished road, and of the side drains. If the work is let 

 by the job, he will also see that the contract is fulfilled, and upon his estimate 

 the contractor will draw his pay. If the road is built by highway labor, the 

 foreman or overseer must see that the work is done in strict accordance with 

 the profile. 



The foundation of all good roads is thorough drainage. This can generally be 

 secured by making the side ditches straight, continuous, and on a true grade, 

 that no hollows may be left to become standing pools after every shower, soak- 

 into and under the road, to the certain ruin of its surface. 



The side drains must have free outlets into natural water-courses as often as 

 possible ; one principle to be strictly adhered to is to get rid of all water as soon 

 as possible. We have frequently seen small streams turned out of their natural 

 course and carried alongside the road in ditches. 'JMiis ought never t5 be done, 

 as the water will be absorbed by the subtratum of the road, and frost and travel 

 will soon break up the surface and render it unfit for use. 



All public roads in this State are required by statute to be GG feet in width, 

 which is nearly twice what is necessary; under ordinary circumstances, a width 

 of 20 feet in the center is sulficicnt to accommodate all the travel ; add 5 feet 

 on each side for ditches, and 3 feet on each side outside the ditches, and it gives 

 a total width of 3G feet. For level ground this is ample, and any width beyond 

 is not only a Avaste of land but a positive damage to the road and the adjoining 

 farms, as it soon becomes covered with a crop of vile smelling and unsightly 

 weeds, which keep the ground moist and porous, and })revent the sun and winds 

 from having free access to the road. 



The road-bed must be highest in the middle and descend gradually each way 

 to the ditches. For such a road I would recommend a slope of 1 foot in 15, 

 which will give a rise in the center of 9 inches, or 21 inches above the bottom 

 of. the ditches. This form is recommended in preference to an arc of a circle 



