Thorough- Drainincj and Subsoil- P la/ ghing. 353 



next year, leaving now only one field to be thorough -drained and 

 subsoil-ploughed, and preparation is now making to carry the 

 draining into effect this season, to sow with oats in the ensuing 

 spring. 



I have the honour to be. Sir, 

 Your faithful and most obedient humble servant, 



Richard White. 



October 7, 1841. 



To the Hon. Robert Henry Clive, M.P., 

 HewelL 



XXXII. — Practical Instructions for Improving and Economi- 

 cally Maintaining Turnpike and Parish Roads upon the Mile 

 System, By C. B. Challoner. 



At this time, when railroads are constructing in every part of the 

 kingdom, and the reduction in the revenue of turnpike-roads is so 

 great that assistance has in many instances been required from the 

 parish highway-rate for the maintenance and repair of the ad- 

 joining turnpike-road, and as the principal part of highway-rates 

 is drawn from the land, 1 am induced to consider the following 

 observations, founded on the practical experience of the last ten 

 years as to the most economical method of repairing and maintain- 

 ing roads in general, to come fully under the head of information 

 connected with agricultural interests. 



The chief item of expense in the repair of roads will be 

 found under the heads of cartage of materials and manual labour, 

 and the reason is, that there is no check whatever under the 

 present system as to the quantity or quality of either, for it is 

 notorious how uncertain and unsatisfactory are the accounts ren- 

 dered of the quantities of material carted on the roads for re- 

 pair, and the number of days of manual labour performed. My 

 principal object in the following pages therefore is, to point 

 out the means whereby the full quantum of materials charged 

 to the public, parishes, or trust, shall be put on the road in 

 the most efficient and best manner, and that whatever portion 

 of manual labour is required shall be judiciously appropriated, by 

 which it will be found that an immense saving in the quantity of 

 materials supposed to be necessary will invariably be the result ; 

 and secondly, to throw so many obstacles in the way of peculation 

 by parties connected with furnishing, procuring, or carting ma- 

 terials, that the smallest attention on the part of a sub- committee 

 (if a turnpike-road), or two or more intelligent and active rate- 



VOL. 11. 2 c 



