62 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Marshall P. Wilder was glad to know that this subject had 

 been introduced. The only way to effect improvement in our 

 roads is to enlighten public sentiment. The subject has been very 

 thoroughly discussed in the meetings of the State Board of Agricul- 

 ture. Forty-five years ago, when he first went to Dorchester, the 

 roads from his house to the church were at times ahnost impassa- 

 ble in the breaking up of winter. Now they are as good as a 

 street in Paris, and the improvement has been effected by a liberal 

 expenditure of mone}', on the principle of securing thorough drain- 

 age and stone surfaces. 



John B. Moore said that the subject had been fully discussed by 

 the Board of Agriculture, and as a result a law was passed by the 

 Legislature authorizing towns to appoint Road Commissioners. 

 The course authorized had been largely adopted, and had been fol- 

 lowed by much improvement. But there were great difficulties in 

 the wa}^, some towns of not more than fifteen hundi-ed or two thou- 

 sand inhabitants having within their limits two hundred or more 

 miles of road. Such is the case with the town of Chelmsford. An 

 appropriation of fifteen hundred dollars is as much as such towns 

 can afford, and it must be spread out pretty thin to cover two or 

 three hundred miles of road. This diflficulty might be obviated by 

 state aid to such towns, but it would be better for a farmer to give 

 away his farm than to pay the taxes necessary to keep such a length 

 of road in a high state of excellence. 



The thanks of the Society were unanimously voted to Dr. Slade 

 for his essay. The Chairman of the Committee on Discussion 

 stated that it was the intention of the committee to reserve some 

 Saturday for further discussion of the subject. 



MEETING FOR DISCUSSION. 



Saturday, February 10, 1877. 



W. C. Strong, Chairmain of the Committee on Discussion, pre- 

 siding. The Chairman called on CM. Atkinson for information 

 concerning a new Bougainvillea, exliibited by Mr. Nelson, gardener 

 to Hon. Robert C. Winthrop. Mr. Atkinson said that the species 



