254 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



that is the only way in which a legal expression can be got. 

 This is not a legally warned meeting of the Board ; and, 

 as you all understand, at this late hour of the closing 

 session of the public winter meeting there is probably not a 

 quorum of the Board of Agriculture present. I have no 

 doubt the Board of Agriculture at its annual meeting will be 

 glad to discuss this matter, and take action upon it in some 

 form. 



The Chairman. The chairman understands that Mr. 

 Bowkcr moves that these resolutions be referred to the 

 Board of Agriculture. 



The question was put, and the motion of Mr. Bowker 

 declared carried. 



The Chairman. Will the gentleman make any motion 

 calling for an expression of opinion from the gentlemen 

 present? The subject before us is a very interesting one. 

 Docs any other gentleman desire to speak upon it? 



]\Xr. . I want simply to make one suggestion here 



to whatever representatives there may be present from the 

 different towns in this Commonwealth. It is with reference 

 to something to which very little attention has been paid in 

 the past, as far as my knowledge goes ; and that is, that the 

 towns have not been at all particular in the choice of the 

 men whom they have placed in charge of their roads. When 

 the citizens of the towns become so much interested in 

 having good roads that they will see to it that they put the 

 very best men they have in charge of their roads, they will 

 have taken one step towards the solution of this question. 

 I know of what I speak. We have had some experience 

 in our town. The fact is, as has been stated here, that the 

 man who can get the greatest number of votes gets the 

 position of highway surveyor, and in nine cases out of ten it 

 turns out that he is the very worst man for the place that 

 could be found. 



Mr. Bowker. I think the gentleman has made a good 

 suggestion. It seems to me that this Board might well take 

 some of the money which it has been expending in Massa- 

 chusetts, and use it in teaching practical road making to the 

 road makers of the State, going into the field and making 

 field demonstrations, if I may so term them. We have had a 



