CHAPTER XXXIV 

 ROAD BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE 



GOOD public roads are a prime necessity to successful 

 agriculture and rural development. They add to the 

 pleasure, profit and convenience of the farm. 



1. Importance of Public Roads 



There are in the United States about two million two 

 hundred thousand miles of roads. Of this immense stretch 

 of public highway, two million miles are classed as earth 

 roads. This is to say that we have enough earth roads to 

 circle the globe eighty times at the equator. 



Good roads and prosperity. A study of history 

 shows that every great and prosperous nation has built a 

 good system of public roads, while primitive and unpro- 

 gressive peoples are satisfied with poor roads. In our 

 own country we find the most prosperous and progressive 

 communities are those that are giving attention to their 

 roads. 



Need for good roads. Because good roads allow the 

 farmer to haul his produce to market at a minimum of ex- 

 pense in time and energy, he can make more profit out of 

 his crops and stock. And the prosperity of the farmer 

 tends to increase the prosperity of all business men and 

 lower the cost of living to consumers. The success of the 

 rural schools also depends much on improved roads. Es- 

 pecially is this true where the schools are being consoli- 

 dated and the pupils transported to the school by the 

 district. Rural mail delivery and the extension of the parcel- 



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