^S^ EXPEKIMENT STATION REOOKD. 



prepare for farming is by working as a hired man on a farm, and unless tlie 

 aaature man can earn good farm wages for some one else he is not ready t« 

 41rect a farm himself. 



Social life in the country, Maey W. Ketes (Home Prog., S (1914), No. 1$, 

 fp, 472-475) .—The author suggests that to improve the social life of the farm 

 woman, every woman should know how to harness and drive a horse and should 

 liaTe one at her disposal. Among other means suggested are the use of the 

 §chool house or church parlor, both of which should be supplied with a cook- 

 ing stove. Entertainment should be encouraged in the form of good music, 

 amateur plays, and the serious study of some elevating topic. 



Jleport of the Pennsylvania Rural Progress Association, 1914 (Rpt. Petm. 

 Rural Prog. Assoc, 1914, PP- 24, figs. 11). — The purpose of this association is to 

 promote a wider study and consideration of the relation of rural problems t» 

 i^he welfare of the State. This report describes various means that have been 

 \ised toward this end, and gives the constitution of the association and the 

 programs of various country life conferences in which it took a part. 



Scottish Agricultural Organization Society {Scot. Agr. Organ. Soc. Rpt. 

 1913, pp. 161). — This report contains a statement of the year's work, a list of 

 ^he leaflets issued by the society, outlines of meetings held, and accounts and 

 reports of affiliated societies. 



An analysis of rural banking conditions in Illinois, C. L. Stewart ([Oftam- 

 paign, III.}, 1914, pp. 38, figs. 11). — By means of a questionnaire sent to rural 

 bankers and to county institute officials the Illinois Bankers Association under- 

 took to determine the "ability with which and the conditions under which 

 Illinois farmers secure personal and mortgage credit and to define the relation 

 between banks and farmers within the State." 



The returns indicate that the farmers comprise 75 per cent of the customers 

 *nd 45 per cent of the stockholders and own 40 per cent of the stock. The 

 average rate paid the farmer depositors was 3 to 4 per cent. Sixty-three per 

 cent of the loans were to farmers, and it was maintained that they receive as 

 good or better treatment than any other class. The average rate of interest 

 on long-term loans was G.27 and on short-term loans 6.68 per cent. The usual 

 period for short-term loans was 6 months. Of the farms mortgaged, it is esti- 

 mated that the mortgages were for 4S per cent of their value. 



The bankefs also reported that 75 per cent of the tenants were satisfactory 

 persons to whom to loan money. They were opposed to lo.ining money for more 

 than from 10 to 20 years, and favored the Torrens system of land title. 



The purpose of the law concerning long and short time credit in Prance, 

 i^. NoGARo (Rev. Econ. Internat., 11 {1914), II , A"o- 3, pp. 438-459). — This article 

 discusses the organization of credit in France and its weak points, the function 

 of the large banking companies, renewal of local banks, and establishment of 

 district banks. It calls attention to the scarcity of people's banks in towns in 

 contrast with their frequency in rural districts and the recent proposals for 

 \jtilizing the 20,000,000 francs of the Bank of France to aid the development of 

 the people's banks in towns. It also discusses the new laws that have been 

 proposed concerning banks and banking combinations. 



The shifting of labor in agriculture, S. Schultz {Neue Zcit, 32 {1913), 

 i, Nos. 11-12, pp. 411-417; 12-19, pp. 447-456) .—Prior to 1890 the number of 

 shifting laborers in Germany was so small as to attract but little attention. In 

 1S90 about 17,000 came from the surrounding countries, but in 1910-11 there 

 were 096,000, of which 388,000 were employed in agriculture. The larger part 

 gf them came from Russia and Austria. The author also discusses the influence 

 of this element in the Intenititlonal labor market and the oecessity for it where 

 agriculture i* extensive rather than intensive. 



