KUEAL ENGINEERING. 87 



plants having capacities ranging from 900 to 1,700 gal. per minute. The pump- 

 ing system is owned by the farmers of the region, but the energy is developed 

 by a private plant. It is claimed that the cost of the energy is less than 1 ct. 

 per kilowatt hour. 



The amount and frequency of irrigation as determined by the physical 

 properties of the soil, A. Muntz and E. LAiNfi {Compt. Rend. Acad. ScL 

 [Paris], 154 {1912), No. 8, pp. 481-487; Prog. Agr. ct Vit. {Ed. VEst Centre), 

 S3 (1912), No. 12, pp. 360-366; Rev. Vit., 37 {1912), No. 955, pp. 460-464; ahs. 

 in Rev. Sci. [Paris], 50 {1912), I, No. 9, pp. 284, 2SJ).— Experiments were made 

 to determine (1) the amounts of water most favorable to crops when applied 

 at equal intervals, and (2) the influence on yield of the application of equal 

 quantities of water at irregular intervals. 



The results show that there is ordinarily a decided waste of water, as the 

 real needs of plants are greatly exceeded. The authors are of the opinion that, 

 although it is impossible to attain the ideal in the application of water, efEorts 

 should be made to approach it. 



An interesting agricultural, hydraulic problem in Algeria, J. Savornin 

 and I. PotroET {Bui. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afrique Nord, 1910, Nos. 7, pp. 104-108, fig. 1; 

 S, pp. 123-127). — The authors present a solution to the problem of utilizing the 

 basin and waters of a salt lake for irrigation purposes, viz, to divert the neigh- 

 boring running water and rainfall waters into the lake and provide an outlet 

 sufficient to lower the lake surface about G meters. These works, it is claimed, 

 will reduce the surface evaporation, freshen the water, and keep a good supply 

 of water on hand. 



A diagram for converting square feet into acres in irrigation and drain- 

 age work {Engin. and Contract., 37 {1912), No. 16, p. 450, fig. 1). — ^A com- 

 bined table and diagram is presented and explained, giving accurate results to 

 the third decimal place. 



Cooperative methods in farm drainage, R. H. Clemens {Canad. Farm, 6 

 {1912), No. 13, p. 3, figs. 3). — The trouble and expense encountered in the ordi- 

 nary drainage ditching methods are pointed out, and the economic and time- 

 saving advantages of cooperative drainage-ditching ©iterations are discussed. 



Standard tests of drain tile and sewer pipe, A. Marston and A. O. Ander- 

 son iProc. loica Engin. Soc, 23 {1911). pp. 39-46)- — This is a paper read be- 

 fore the Iowa Engineering Society, at Des Moines, February 15-17, 1911. 



The need of standard tests for drain tile and sewer pipe is pointed out and 

 3 standard test requirements are recommended, viz, the percentage of absorp- 

 tion, the bearing strength, and the modulus of rupture, which requirements in- 

 volve the absorption test and the bearing strength test. A discussion is given 

 of various methods of making absorption and bearing strength tests, and speci- 

 fications are recommended for making standard tests of this nature. 



In the standard absorption test the specimens are to be of a definite size and 

 number, perfectly dry and clean, and are to be weighed and then immersed in 

 pure soft water for 24 hours. They are then to be taken out, reweighed, and 



the percentage of absorption calculated by the formula — ^^^— the percentage 



of absorption, in which W is the original weight and W is the weight after 

 immersion. 



The standard bearing strength test embodies the following: The test speci- 

 mens are to be whole, full-sized, dry, average tile, 5 in number. They are to 

 be weighed before the test and then bedded above and below in dry washed 

 sand for one-fourth the circumference of the pipe. The top bearing must have 

 a true plane lower surface of rigid material capable of distributing the test 



50696'— No. 1—12 7 



