STAFFORDSHIRE ROADS. 195 



4 It is reserved for Staffordshire, or at all events 

 North Staffordshire, to be distinguished amongst all 

 other counties for having quite the worst roads in 

 England. I do not think I am far out in saying 

 that they never bind at any season of the year. 



' Possibly, the only " metal " that is to be obtained 

 locally consists of the round pebbles (if a stone which 

 is sometimes nearly a foot in diameter can be called 

 a pebble) which are from time to time scattered on 

 the roads. But I should have thought that some- 

 body might be found to break them into pieces. 

 Being round and smooth, they have, of course, no 

 sooner worked in with the wear of the traffic than 

 they wear out again. 



' The moral of this is that people who live in 

 Staffordshire should not drive delicately built car- 

 riages. I can recommend, however, carriage exercise 

 in this neighbourhood for those who are so singu- 

 larly constituted as to have livers.' 



North Staffordshire, in fact, is very much in this 

 country what New Hampshire (the ' Granite State ') 

 is in America, as I know from practical experience 

 in both localities. Yet an unshod horse has been 

 driven over these roads without suffering any injury 

 to the hoof. 



There is, then, only one merit which can be urged 

 in favour of the iron shoe, namely, that of protecting 



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