6 BULLETIN 393, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
no provision was made for maintenance of the bond-built roads. It 
was found that rapid deterioration was taking place and that in- 
sufficient funds existed with which to meet the situation. Accord- 
ingly toll gates were established on the principal roads and a sufficient 
revenue was derived from this source, not only to maintain the roads 
but to actually extend the construction a short distance. This re- 
version to a system long since abolished by most countries is partly 
due to the Virginia administrative and fiscal organization, under which 
the cities of the State are not taxed for county purposes (although 
they may aid in the improvement of roads for a distance of 10 miles 
from the city limits if the city council so elects). Thus it came about 
that while the city of Fredericksburg, in Spotsylvania County, con- 
tributed no part of the financial burden of maintaining the roads, it 
was, because of the heavy automobile traffic emanating from that 
point, a very destructive element to the county road system. In 
view of the very rapid development of motor vehicles during the 
past decade and the prospects of much more widespread use of this 
means of transportation in the future, the desirability of making 
provisions so that the cities may aid in the construction and main- 
tenance of roads in the surrounding territory. 
As to the quality of supervision, it would seem that there is little 
room for criticism in any of the eight counties. The work in the four 
Virginia counties was directed by a resident engineer from the State 
highway department, while the work in Dallas, Lauderdale, and 
Manatee Counties was all directed by special highway commissions, 
who, without exception, selected competent engineers and accom- 
plished most commendable results. Franklin County, N. Y., was 
fortunate in having for the direction of its work a competent county 
superintendent, who possessed all of the practical and technical quali- 
fications for the successful management of the work. | 
ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO-THE RESPECTIVE COUNTIES. 
In arriving at an estimate of the benefits which a county receives 
through the improvement of its public roads, certain factors must 
be taken into account more as the media by which the benefits 
may be measured than as the actual benefits themselves. While 
it is realized that the increase in the value of land must not be 
added to the saving in hauling costs, the convenience and access 
to schools, markets, churches, etc., but 1s rather the effect pro- 
duced by those causes, it is perhaps the best index which can be 
obtained as to the economic value of the roads to the community. 
A study of the increase in the values of farm lands in the eight 
counties reveals the rather interesting fact that following the improve- 
ment of the main market roads the increase in the selling price of 
tillable farm lands served by the roads has amounted to from one 
