16 BULLETIN 386, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
highways is paid for from the proceeds of the sale of the State high- 
way bonds. The maintenance is under the highway department, but 
is paid for by both the State and the towns through which they pass. 
County highways are those built at the expense of both the State 
and county. These serve as the principal market routes within the 
counties. The State highway commissioner has designated 8,380 
miles of these roads for the State. The total amount of State and 
county highways is nearly 12,000 miles. The State's share of the 
construction cost of county highways is paid from the appropriation 
made by the legislature from the fund derived from the sale of State 
highway bonds. The counties pay variable proportions of the cost 
of these roads and the balance is paid by the State. County high- 
ways are maintained in the same manner as State highways. 
County roads are built at the sole expense of the county and are 
subject to the jurisdiction of the county officials. Inasmuch as the 
State grants aid lor the maintenance of these roads, they are to a 
certain extent subject to the regulations of the State highway depart- 
ment. These roads are maintained from funds appropriated for this 
purpose, aided by a grant from the State's general fund amounting to 
50 per cent of the county appropriation of the previous year for this 
purpose. However, no county receives from the State for this purpose 
in any one year an amount to exceed one-tenth of 1 per cent of the total 
taxable property in the county. Town highways are all roads out- 
side of the limits of incorporated villages and cities which do not 
belong to the State and county system or to the cotmty road 
systems. They are maintained and constructed by a joint State and 
town fund. When a town desires to secure State aid, it levies a 
money road tax for such amount that when it is added to the con- 
tribution made by the State it will equal not less than $30 per mile 
for all roads outside the limits of incorporated villages and cities. 
For towns having a valuation of less than S3, 750 per mile there is a 
lower requirement, which is $4 per thousand of assessed value. The 
amount which a town may receive from the State is Begulated both 
by the appropriation of the town and its wealth per mile of road. 
The bureau of town highways, which is under the third deputy 
commissioner, supervises the maintenance and construction of all 
town highways and bridges, and audits the road accounts in every 
town which receives State aid. At present it has 73,000 miles of 
road under its supervision. Of these roads 9,000 miles are of heavy 
gravel or macadam, and construction of these types is progressing 
at the rate of about 800 miles a year. Seven-tenths of the agricul- 
tural products of the State are moved over the town highways. 
This bureau also does educational work through annual meetings 
held in each county. 
