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thumping to their bottom ; and thus they grow worse in 

 a constantly increasing ratio the longer the}' are neglected. 

 Another and somewhat widely prevalent evil in our 

 roads, especially where the material which enters into 

 their construction is largely clay, is the lack of adequate 

 under drainage. We are disposed to think that in sur- 

 face drainage there has been improvement. Long rains 

 or sudden showers do not so frequently as in former 

 }-ears reduce our hillside roads to a state well nigh 

 impassable. But there are miles upon miles of road in 

 our county, some of them in thoroughfares much trav- 

 elled, where for several weeks in the year one can with 

 difficulty trot his horse in a light buggy, and where the 

 trouble could be largely and permanently removed by a 

 skilful employment of the means of which we are now 

 speaking. We believe the expense would, in a very few 

 years, be more than compensated by the removal it would 

 bring of that indirect tax which we all have to pay when- 

 ever we ride or team over these roads. We know of such 

 a road in one of the thriving towns of this county. It is 

 perhaps an eighth of a mile in length, and lies near the 

 centre of the town's population. Over it there pass and 

 repass scores of vehicles, some light and others heavily 

 loaded, almost every day of the year. If you were to 

 view that spot a few hours about the first of next April, 

 unless the spring should be an exceptionally favorable 

 one, you would be likely to witness vehicles sunk nearly 

 or quite half to the axles in adhesive mud, horses having 

 to struggle to get through with even empty wagons, har- 

 nesses strained and snapping asunder, parts of loads thrown 

 off or entire loads abandoned in despair, and men express- 

 ing their objurgations of the town authorities in terms 

 which strongly imply the hope that they might not be 



