218 ENGINEERING ON THE FARM 



load, there is practically no further improvement by the 

 labor system, for different methods must be used. The 

 arguments against the labor system are summed up as 

 follows: The roads are not worked at the proper season 

 of the year, because the farmers cannot leave the fields at 

 the season when road work should be done. There is no 

 general plan and, as a result, much of the work is of no 

 benefit to the road. Since the work is nearly all done at 

 one season, it necessitates much moving of machinery from 

 one part of the road to another, and the bringing together 

 of strange horses for only two or three days at a time and 

 using them on work to which they are not accustomed. 

 Repairs are not made when necessary. This is an essential 

 feature, for it often happens that if a break were repaired 

 immediately it could be done in a few hours, but when let 

 go two or three months the work requires several days. 

 The cost of supervision is high in the labor system owing to 

 the time spent in calling out the farmers, showing them 

 where to work, looking after the machinery, and directing 

 the work. Records show that supervision under this sys- 

 tem is seldom less than 40 per cent of the total tax, while 

 under the cash system it varies from 6 to 10 per cent. In 

 Ramsey and Hennepin counties, Minnesota, the amount of 

 tax for that purpose under the labor system was 40 per cent, 

 but since the adoption of the cash system only 7 per cent. 

 If the cash system is adopted and the money expended under 

 proper supervision, a surprising amount of good road work 

 can be accomplished in a few years. 



SUMMARY 



The world's food supply passes in wagons over the coun- 

 try roads; therefore it is of importance to have good roads. 

 The history of roads indicates that they pass through a 

 state of development, and this continuous development 

 should be encouraged. The principles of road building 

 should be taught as adapted to local conditions. Drainage 



