4 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc 



in later years. Warnings have been sonnded from time to time, but 

 they have gone unheeded. In 1880 thirty people in every 100 lived in 

 the city; today fifty out of every 100 live in these great centers of 

 population. Of this number, one out of every twenty are from the 

 farms. Hence only one-half of our population are producers and the 

 other half consumers; whereas, in 1880 the producers outnumbered 

 the consumers {m-ee to one. So far as Pennsylvania is concerned, 

 in 1891, 51 per cent, of the people were rural; today from 35 to 38 

 per cent, of the total population of our State is rural. It is estimated 

 at the present time that 11 per cent, of our population are on farms. 

 Hence the need of increased interest in agriculture is apparent. The 

 causes for this drift is lack of conveniences, attractions and social 

 enjoyment in the country that are found in the cities. If these 

 causes were removed, the tide would turn "back to the farm." It is 

 the inequality of country life that has sent our young men to the 

 cities where many have failed or have fallen through temptations 

 that are so marked in crowded industrial centers. 



Another problem confronting the farmer is 



THE LACK OF GOOD ROADS 



One of the greatest items of expense to the farmer is that of trans- 

 jiorting his produce to the markets, or to the line of railroads or 

 steamboat landings. The Bureau of Public Roads estimates that 

 more than 350,000,000 tons are hauled over our public roads each 

 year with an average of an eight mile haul, and at an average cost 

 of twenty-three cents per ton per mile. The railroads handle the 

 same produce on hauls of thirty miles and less at two cents per ton 

 per mile, and where the haul is 150 miles or over it is made at a cost 

 of one-half cent per ton per mile. 



The same authority states that it would not cost more than thirteen 

 cents per ton per mile if all the roads of our country were such as 

 they sliould be, thereby saving to the people one quarter of a hillion 

 of dollars every year. The Office of Public Roads is the authority 

 for the statement that in the United States only 247,490 miles of the 

 2,273,131 miles of roads, or 10.9 per cent., are surfaced, while all the 

 rest are mud roads. A rather humiliating showing. It is stated that 

 of all the civilized countries on the globe, America has the poorest 

 roads. In natural wealth, in agricultural products, in the manu- 

 facture of steel and iron and in the number of miles of railroads 

 the United States stands first; but in roads stands last. 



France, with her system of roads, saves to the agriculturist two- 

 thirds of the expense of America in transporting farm products to 

 the line of railroad or steam navigation. The lowest cost of hauling 

 the produce from farm to market is in Hanover, the average running 

 ])eing about four and one-half cents ])er long ton per mile; in Italy, 

 nine cents; in France, eleven and one-half cents; in England, twelve 

 cents. Thus in the United States the farmer pays from forty to 

 ninety-five per cent, more to carry his products from the farm to 

 tlie nearest railroad station or river landing than the farmer in 

 Europe. 



Here is presented one of the causes which drives farmers' boys and 

 girls to the overcrowded cities. If the State had good roads it would 

 stop this drift. Make it possible in inclement weather as well as in 



