210 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



a thorough training in road building, while they also render practi- 

 cal service to the Government. An efficient corps of highway engi- 

 neers is thus prepared to carry out road building along correct lines. 

 A number of engineers from the office are already connected with 

 State and county highway departments in various parts of the United 

 States, while several of them are constantly retained in the Govern- 

 ment service. 



INVESTIGATIONS. 



The office has investigated the decomposition of rock powders un- 

 der the action of water and discovered important facts with reference 

 to their use as road materials. Investigations into the corrosion of 

 iron and steel culverts and fences have also been productive of im- 

 portant results, and the matter of protective coatings has been 

 extensively studied. 



STANDARD SYSTEMS. 



In May, 1907, the office inaugurated a project designed to intro- 

 duce improved standard systems of construction, maintenance, and 

 administration of roads into various counties throughout the United 

 States. Under this plan experienced engineers are assigned to make 

 thorough investigations on all phases of the road work of various 

 counties and to prepare exhaustive reports with plans, estimates, and 

 recommendations. This method has already resulted in the saving 

 of thousands of dollars to the counties where such model systems 

 have been adopted. 



OFFICE EQUIPMENT. 



Thorough and systematic methods of organization have been in- 

 troduced into the administration of the office. Each employee is 

 given specific duties to perform, and a careful system of reports and 

 records is kept of work done and expenditures made on every project. 

 The most approved system of filing is in use, and a library has been 

 established containing a complete collection of periodicals, manu- 

 scripts, pamphlets, reports, and books on all phases of road work. 

 This library is being added to constantly. Fifty-nine periodicals are 

 now regularly received, of which 44 are donated. 



The office has in its files 8,237 photographic negatives and about 

 5,000 lantern slides illustrating nearly every item of road improve- 

 ment. These slides are extensively used by representatives of the 

 office in lecture work. During the year just closed 1,135 lectures were 

 delivered by representatives of the office, nearly all of which were 

 illustrated with lantern slides. 



From 1897 to the present time the office has issued 28 bulletins, 73 

 circulars, 10 farmers' bulletins, 19 Yearbook extracts, 15 annual re- 

 ports, and 1 lecture syllabus; a total of 146 publications. 



