ROAD PAVING MATERIAL. 247 



mer, where a woman had emptied a straw bed tick on one of the worst sand roads 

 I ever saw. The straw was worn out for bedding purposes, but was just right for 

 road purposes, as the finer it is broken up the better. Since that time I have 

 observed every bunch of straw which I have seen drop on such a road, and have 

 gone to some personal trouble myself to put straw on such roadj, and have watched 

 the effect, which has every time been as before stated. Straw has doubtless been 

 dropping on sand roads for several hundred years, and it may be that more observ- 

 ing people than I, and the people I have always lived among, have been aware of 

 its benefits; but if so, why is it not generally used? 



This suggests that it might be used to advantage on new gravel roads where the 

 gravel is much mixed with sand, and thereby pack slow. It would give instant 

 relief, and would not at all hurt the quality of the gravel. 



