352 FARM DEVELOPMENT 



the public could well afford to have the farmers plant 

 a row of trees several feet from the outer line on the 

 road property, giving the farmer the crop from the trees. 



In some countries, as in western Germany, apples and 

 other fruit and nut trees, planted by public officers along 

 the roadway, produce crops of fruit which are sold for 

 nearly enough to pay for the maintenance of the road- 

 way. This might be a practical source of income in 

 some sections in the United States. The crop of fruit 

 or nuts is usually sold by contract before it is ripe, the 

 purchaser harvesting the crop. When our lands become 

 much more valuable, it may be possible for the public 

 to rent the land on the right of way of our broad high- 

 ways to such an advantage that the renter will not only 

 keep the roadside in a neat manner, but will also help to 

 keep the road in repair. In case of earth roads of heavy 

 clay, trees. should not be planted where they will prevent 

 the road surface from drying or cause impassable drifts 

 of snow to form in northern climates. 



Relation of farmers to the roads. The farmer has a 

 special interest in the roads adjacent to and leading from 

 his farm. In some cases, he can unite with the officials 

 in building or draining a road and in making a co-opera- 

 tive drain which will be very useful to his fields. In many 

 cases it is to his interest, as well as to the interest 

 of the public, for the farmer to extend his field operations 

 into the right of way, always leaving sufficient room in 

 the center of the highway for travel. If the farmer will 

 keep the roadside in grass and mow it or pasture it, so 

 as to prevent the growth of weeds, the roadway will 

 be much improved. In some cases, where the road be- 

 comes very muddy, the grass border is useful for pedes- 

 trians, for bicycles and even for wagons and automobiles. 

 Traveling this roadside is not conducive to a good crop, 

 and people should recognize the interest of a man who 

 takes good care of a roadside and not unnecessarily in- 



