598 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



TOWNSHIP AID. 



The township has a less, but still important part, that of maintaining 

 the roads after they have been put in proper shape. We should come to 

 realize that one of the worst enemies that we have to good roads are the 

 weeds that grow 'by the wayside. We let them grow, or they simply grow 

 without our letting, all summer long and fill up the ditches and then 

 in the spring or late in the fall we work them and their roots into the 

 center of the road and the humous of the decayed weeds makes the soil 

 nice and porous and it retains the water, and the weeds are in bad shape 

 after each rain and in the spring. Don't forget to keep up the fight on 

 the weeds. 



The general plan that has been followed with the roads in the past, of 

 putting them in good shape once a year and expecting them to stay that 

 way till the road boss came around again, is about as sensible as for 

 same fond mother to wash the face of her darling and expect it to stay 

 clean for a year. 



Our roads must be kept smooth, and the King or split log drag is the 

 article to do it with. After each rain, the road should be dragged. It 

 will smooth the surface and let the water off and at the same time it will 

 kill the weeds that I have spoken of. 



THE farmer's aid. 



This is last, but it is most important. The solution of the good roads 

 question is in your hands, and in our state where the bulk of wealth 

 is in our farm lands you must furnish the money for the work. It is 

 up to you to see that each dollar paid in taxes returns one dollar's worth 

 of honest labor on our public roads. 



Township politics, so far as road oflScers are concerned, are a curse 

 to the cause, and I want to call on you now to support competent men 

 for your trustees, regardless of politics. Give them your loyal support, 

 and advise with them. 



One of the chief reasons why our roads are not better is because you 

 have not demanded it. You are indifferent. I am sure that if the farm- 

 ers of this county would get together two or three times in each school 

 house in the county in the next six weeks and talk good roads, adopt 

 plans and appoint good strong committees in each township to meet 

 with the trustees at their regular meeting that will be held the first of 

 April, that great results would be accomplished. If you want good roads, 

 you must talk good roads at the right time and now is the right time 

 to begin. 



Some will say we need more money to make good roads, and that 

 will mean higher taxes. Time will not permit me to go into this question 

 here more than to say it is simply foolishness to ask for more money 

 before we learn how to spend what we have in a wise way, so that 

 it will return to us $1.00 in good roads for each $1.00 paid in taxes. 



PERMAXEXT ROADS. 



There are 102,448 miles of public roads in Iowa, of which 293 miles 

 are stone and 1,465 miles gravel, that cost $3,106,607, according to the 

 report of 1904, or over $2,000 per mile. 



