No. 4.] ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. 15 



cost in detail. Such roads, liuilt under the direction of a 

 thoroughly competent engineer, would, of course, have a 

 properly graded and thoroughly drained road-bed, and they 

 could use such material as was best under the circumstances. 

 An excellent road can be built by thoroughly draining the bed 

 and applying from six inches to a foot of good gravel. Many 

 of our towns have a convenient supply of good gravel, and 

 where that is plentiful the engineer could order it to be used. 

 If that is not accessible, broken stone could be used, and 

 perhaps would be economical. 



These are some of the crude thoughts that have occurred 

 to me in regard to the improvement of the roads in our 

 State. The only way we shall ever accomplish anything is 

 by discussing the matter, ])y getting the ideas of one man 

 and rubbing them against the ideas .of another, and perhaps 

 we may get the best plan from the man of least experience. 



I see that Mr. Cheesman has come in, and we will take up 

 the subject assigned for this morning. 



The Chairman. I think that we will consider this subject 

 of road-making which Mr. Sessions has opened as laid upon 

 the table. It may be taken up again whenever there is 

 opportunity. 



You are now invited to listen to a lecture on "Home- 

 grown or Purchased Cattle Foods," by Prof. James Chees- 

 man of Southborough, a man whose name only needs to be 

 mentioned to insure attention anywhere in Massachusetts on 

 any subject connected with the dairy. 



Professor Cheesman. When our secretary did me the honor 

 to invite me to present the subject of cattle foods to you this 

 morning, I was in doubt whether to treat it from the stand- 

 point from which I am accustomed to consider it in address- 

 ing agricultural societies and farmers' institutes, that is, a local 

 stand-point, or from the stand-point of general principles. 

 Inasmuch as this is a meeting of the State Board of As^ri- 

 culture, what I shall ask you to consider this morning applies 

 not to any particular county merely, but to the whole State 

 of Massachusetts and inferentially to all of New England. I 

 have chosen to treat the subject from the stand-point of gen- 

 eral principles, introducing only here and there figures illus- 

 trating the question of cost relating to various localities in 

 New England, parts of New York State and Canada. 



