RURAL ECONOMICS. 295 



relative agricultural population witliout simultaneously urging organization 

 among farmers to regulate farm products and to hold prices to a level which 

 would enable them to approximate the standard of living characteristic of 

 cities unless cheap farmers are desired as well as cheap food. 



The rural population, T. G. Chambeks {Jour. Farmers' Clvb [London], 1914, 

 Apr,, pp. Jf5-55}. — Among the general conclusions reached by the author from 

 his study of the changes in the rural population of England and Wales be- 

 tween 1901 and 1911 are that each rural district must be considered by itself, 

 so that it is impossible to generalize for the country as a whole. Some of 

 the causes influencing the rural population are improved traction, better means 

 of communication, intrusion of mining and manufacturing into the rural dis- 

 tricts, and increase of residential population. He believes that as a whole the 

 rural population of England and Wales will continue to increase. 



The rural problem, H. D. Habben {Lmdon, 1913, pp. VI II +169). —The 

 author discusses the decline in the rural population of England and Wales and 

 its relation to the problem of wages and the housing of farm laborers. He 

 also calls attention to the problems of small holdings, tenancy and ownership, 

 agricultural education, and organizations, and submits a number of recom- 

 mendations for improving the condition of the farm laborer. 



Development of agriculture in the United States and its lnfl.uence on 

 prices of agricultural products, M. Augstin {Schr. Ver. Sozialpolit., 141 

 (1914), pt. 2, pp. 149, pi. 1). — The author discusses the relative variations in 

 the increases in population, land in farms, improved land, rural population, 

 values of farm property, farms by sizes, and farm mortgages; agricultural 

 associations; transportation facilities; the farm labor question; the use of 

 machinery, manure, and irrigation ; the extensive character of American agri- 

 culture and importance of the single crop system; and relative changes in the 

 number of live stock and their geographic distribution. He concludes that the 

 agricultural development of the United States has reached a climax and that 

 never again will its exports become sufficiently important to cause a depression 

 in the prices of cattle or grain on the world's market. 



Crop yields and prices, and our future food supply, G. F. Wabeen (A'&m? 

 York Cornell Sta. Bill. 341 {1914), PP- 185-211, figs. S).— Statistical data are 

 summarized from publications of the U. S. Census and the Department of 

 Agriculture, and discussed. 



Some of the conclusions reached by the author are that prices that the 

 farmer now receives for animal products are higher than the average for the 

 past 73 years, but that prices received for crops are generally as low or lower. 

 Crop yields east of the Mississippi River have been rapidly increasing in the 

 last 10 to 15 years. It is believed that farmers raise larger crops when they 

 are convinced it will pay. More land also will be brought into use when the 

 prices of farm products will guarantee a profit on the extra expense of clear- 

 ing, draining, irrigating, etc. There is a tendency for the people in the United 

 States to use more plant foods and less animal foods. To reduce the size of 

 farms and to import cheap labor to help farm is deemed likely to result 

 eventually in more expensive rather than cheaper food. The machinery of 

 distribution after products leave the farm is considered unnecessarily ex- 

 pensive. 



An investigation of the phosphorus supply in this country, with a view to 

 restriction of exports, is advocated. 



The history of the grain trade in France, 1400-1710, A. P. Usher {Har- 

 vard [Univ.], Econ. Studies 9 {1913), pp. XV+405, pis. 3).— The author out- 

 lines with considerable detail the changes that took place in the systems of 

 marketing grain in the different parts of France during this period. Among 



