i 4 8 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 



the lessened exposure and lengthened life of his horses ; in 

 the less limited restrictions in the time of his going and 

 coming. A Maryland farmer reported that from February 

 to April he could not have marketed his wheat if the price had 

 gone to $2 a bushel. In France it is customary to utilize the 

 stormy days to do hauling when other work must be sus- 

 pended ; but then France, with a territory only about three 

 times the area of New York, spends, it is stated, $25,000,000 

 annually upon her highways, keeping up a system of roads 

 that is probably equalled nowhere else in the world, and she 

 considers that she is pursuing a profitable policy. 



And thus the rural communities have fallen into line with 

 all the other classes of our citizens. Much is being done, 

 and still greater improvements are in prospect. Word comes 

 particularly from the Carolinas, Kentucky, Tennessee, the 

 Eastern states and California that improvements are rapidly 

 taking place. In New York $50,000,000 have just been made 

 available for the construction of good roads. Wherever the 

 work is completed the acre price of farm lands has advanced 

 by from $3 to $30. In New Jersey, which may be said to 

 lead in the new movement, a thousand miles of stone road 

 have recently been constructed, and this is recognized as be- 

 ing but the beginning. From 100 to 125 baskets of produce 

 now constitute a wagonload where 25 baskets constituted a 

 load before, and it is estimated that $27,000,000 has already 

 been added to farm values of the state. A road running the 

 whole length of the eastern seaboard is proposed, and an- 

 other one throughout the full length of California, with a 

 trans-continental ' boulevard connecting the north and south 

 lines from Washington or Boston to San Francisco. 



Good roads mean more money for the farmer. They mean 



