EURAL ECONOMICS. 195 



of debts accounts for 37 per cent of the total and cultivation of land and the 

 purchase of cattle for 30 per cent. 



Rural New England, Charlotte II. F, Ladd (Trans. Mass. Hort. Soc, 1909, 

 pt. 1, pp. 119-129). — This paper points out some means for the Improvement of 

 rural conditions in New England, such as improving soil fertility, intensive agri- 

 culture, road improvement, better rural schools, and state aid in encouraging 

 agriculture. 



Competitions for the Leon Faucher prize in 1908, E. Levasseur (Concours 

 pour le Prix Leon Faucher 1908. Paris, 1908, pp. 168). — This is a summary of 

 the essays which received prizes in this competition in 1908. The topics dis- 

 cussed relate to the agricultural development of 17 provinces in France, as to 

 changes which have taken place during the past half century in the methods of 

 culture, products, markets, prices, and conditions of the landowners and 

 laborers. 



Rural settlement and agriculture (Off. Yearbook N. S. Wales, 1907-8, pp. 

 263-276, 3.'t7-Jt08). — Statistics on the number, size, and character of land hold- 

 ings in New South Wales in 1908 are tabulated and discussed. 



The number of holdings above 1 acre in extent was 81.732 comprising 

 49,901,837 acres, or an average size of 611 acres per holding. Of these holdings 

 23.591 were under 16 acres, 30,908 from 16 to 200 acres, and 10,451 from 201 to 

 400 acres in extent. Of the total acreage only 2.362,590 acres are cultivated. 



Statistics are also given on the nature, yields, and value of crops, the number, 

 classes, and value of the live stock, and on the kinds and value of dairy 

 products. 



Crop Reporter (U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Statis. Crop Reporter, 11 (1909), No. 

 11, pp. 7 J-861).— Statistics on the condition, value, and prices of the principal 

 crops in the United States, notes on foreign crop conditions, and articles on 

 statistics of mortality among farmers, per capita production of farm products, 

 and wheat prices in England in six centuries are reported. 



Imports of grain in the cereal year 1908-9 (Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 16 

 (1909), No. 6, pp. 470-474). — The production of grain crops in Great Britain, 

 the average prices for the year, and the imports of cereals, including the 

 countries from which they were consigned, are tabulated and discussed in this 

 article. Comparative data are also given of the imports of wheat, wheat flour, 

 barley, oats, and corn, from 1897-8 to 1908-9. 



" It will be seen that, except in the case of wheat, practically no expansion 

 in the supply has taken place during the past few years, the imports being 

 either more or less stationary, or, as in the case of flour, maize, and oats, 

 actually less than in earlier years." 



International Institute of Agriculture at Rome, D. Lubin (Cal. Cult., 33 

 (1909), No. 14, pp. 315, 324). — This article describes the functions and work of 

 the institute. 



AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



Progress in agricultural education, 1908, D. J. Crosby (V. 8. Dept. Agr., 

 Office Expt. Stas. Rpt. 1908, pp. 231-288, pis. 5).— A brief summary of progress 

 in agricultural education during the 11 years from 1897 to 1908, inclusive, is 

 followed by a review of the principal developments in agricultural education 

 during the last half of the flscal year 1908, including the educational work of 

 this Department, the principal developments in agricultural education in foreign 

 countries, the work of the National Education Association, and the leading items 

 of interest concerning the colleges of agriculture in the United States, and 



