38 INTRODUCTION

statement of the natural advantages of each county, and will not only
be of value to the residents, but likewise to those who are looking for
homes in the state. These reports will be accompanied by large
scale topographic maps which will show at a glance by the colors and
symbols introduced all of the natural resources of the county. This
method of treatment has been pursued in some of the other states
with excellent results, and has many practical advantages in a state like
Maryland over the publication of section sheets which ignore the
county lines.

THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATION OF ROAD MATERIALS.

There is perhaps no subject to-day which is more demanding the
attention of enlightened commonwealths than the proper construction
of roads. Much consideration has been given this subject by experts,
who have found that if the money now expended annually by the
several states was properly applied, a system of permanently good
roads could be gradually constructed in place of the temporary make-
shifts now in vogue. The importance of proper highways to all
classes of citizens cannot be too forcibly dwelt upon, but this is neither
the time nor the place to go into the discussion of this important
question. It is desirable, however, that attention should be called to
the fact that good roads can only be built with proper materials, and
that it is most essential that the various rock formations within the
state should be studied with a view to their use in this direction.
Although some rocks may be shown to be better than others, questions
of transportation have to be considered, and in each section it is neces-
sary to discover the most available local materials. After the various
rocks have been tested by well-known methods and their availability
determined, it is then important to show their distribution so that
the road commissioners of each county may know where to obtain
them with the least expenditure of time and money. There are few
ways in which the Geological Survey can be of more direct service
to the state than in giving advice regarding the proper materials for
road construction, and it is the intention of the State Geologist to
give this subject his careful attention as the work of the survey
proceeds.