386 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Statistics also show that the farmer has learned to rotate his crops 

 so as to get legumes or clover crops in the rotation. Since the early 

 90's, the tendency of crop production has been upward, and for the 

 past 25 years the production per acre of crops for the country has 

 been increasing at the rate of nearly 1 per cent, per year. With the 

 encouragement the farmer receives from the State and Nation, and 

 the instruction from Agricultural institutions, the American farmer 

 is learning how to farm. 



EEPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ROADS AND ROAD LAWS 



By J. A. WOODWARD, Chairman. 



At the Spring meeting of the State Board of Agriculture, at Lock 

 Haven, in 1884, before your speaker was a member, he accepted the 

 honor of an invitation to address that body upon the subject of 

 "Country Roads," assigned him by the then Secretary, the lamented 

 Thomas J. Edge. The change in the personnel of the body between 

 that date and this is almost absolute — but a single member who then 

 held a seat, remaining a member at this time: Reference is made to 

 the venerable Joel A. Herr, of Clinton county . May many years 

 be added to his useful life and membership. 



The great majority of those who then composed the body, including 

 every ex-officio and ever^'^ appointive member, and the great secre- 

 tary, have passed. The organization remains, more representative, 

 more widely known, perhaps; but not more disinterested or eflScient 

 in the care and consideration it gives to the agricultural interests 

 of the State than then. 



The change in the component membership of this body is not more 

 radical than is that in the road problem which it was then, for the 

 first time, and is now, discussing, whether we think of those who 

 build and use the road, or the volume and character of the traffic 

 which it must accommodate; and doubtless the end is not yet in 

 sight. Then, outside the cities and boroughs, and aside from the 

 hoary and obsolete turnpike, "the road," as known throughout the 

 State, was the common dirt road, the township road, the country 

 road. The traffic upon it was in comparatively light loads, horses 

 irawn at a speed of from two to ten miles per hour, and for short 

 distances. 



The construction and maintenance of it had for its highest au- 

 thority and directing force the township supervisor, which title was 

 only too often a synonym for inefficiency, or "unpreparedness," to 

 borrow a word from present day political discussions; and who 

 was for the period of his official life, a fine example of absolutism 

 and autocracy over all road matters within his district, and within 

 legally defined limits. He levied a certain or uncertain amount of 

 tax upon his neighbors, who congregated at a designated point at his 



