RURAL ENGINEERING. 789 



geography and meteorology of Cape Colony is followed by notes on the cost of 

 iiTlgation per acre, the value of irrigated lands, surface and subsurface waters, 

 irrigation work, duty of water, and the general extent of irrigation in the 

 colony. 



[Practical problems in irrig'ation, drainage, and hydraulics on the farm], 

 W. B. Grkoory {Hacienda, 7 {1912), 'So. 10, pp. 291-209, figs. 20).— This article 

 deals with irrigation and drainage and general agricultural hydraulics, dis- 

 cussing the selection and installation of power machinery, pumps, etc., for irri- 

 gation pumping, the preparation of the soil for irrigation, the amount ami fre- 

 quency of irrigation, drainage of irrigated lands, drainage by hydraulic 

 machinery, and the possibilities of converting hydraulic energy into electrical 

 energy. 



Canada's drainage problem, W. H. Day (Ann. Rpt. Ontario Agr. Col. and 

 Expt. Farm, 37 {1911). pp. 6J, 66, fig. i).— It is stated in this report that in 

 Ontario as a whole there are from 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 acres of land needing 

 drainage, for much of which large outlets must be provided by the government. 

 The Increased crop returns for the entire Dominion following drainage are 

 estimated at several billions of dollars per annum. 



Plans for and estimates of costs of draining 33,000 acres of swamp land 

 in North Carolina {Engin. and Contract., 37 {1912), No. 20, pp. 565, 566, figs. 

 2). — Ten different ditches are included in this work, designed to carry 1 in. 

 run-off per 24 hours with side slopes of 1 : 1 and a minimum width of 14 ft. 

 The cost of the entire work is estimated at $142,621, or about $4.32 per acre. 



A good form of tiling contract, F. O. Nklson {Successful Fannin<g, 11 

 {1912), So. S, p. 18). — A form for contracts between landowner and tiling con- 

 tractor to be used in all cases, thus eliminating the usual unsatisfactory verbal 

 contract on small tile di'aiuage jobs, is suggested. 



r Experimental road work near Baltimore, Md. ], W. W. Crosby (,0ood 

 Roads, n. ser., 4 (1912), No. 10, pp. 93-99, figs. 7).— This is a summary with 

 tables of results and costs of experiments with the penetration method of 

 bituminous road construction. The road is about 6^ miles long and varies 

 from 14 to 24 ft. in width. The old macadam surface was scarified, reshaped, 

 and the foundation strengthened where necessary. It was rolled and covered 

 with a 4 in. layer of 1 to 2 in. crushed stone with a i in. per foot crown. This 

 was rolled to the utmost possible compaction and hot pitch applied and evenly 

 distributed. A thin coating of i to 1 in. clean stone chips was placed on top 

 to absorb the excess pitch and fill the extra voids, the quantities of pitch aud 

 stone chips varying greatly per square yard under different circumstances. 

 Some sections of the work were made of ordinary water-bound macadam with 

 a top coat of cold pitch and stone chips. 



Where the quantity of pitch used was in excess of 1.7 gal. per square yard the 

 bleeding of the pitch in hot weather and the slipperiness in cold weather were 

 found particularly objectionable, especialls' where tars were used. On the 

 whole, after from 2 to 3 years, the condition of most of the sections is deemed 

 satisfactory, the cost being the only questionable feature. 



B.oad building by convict labor in Colorado, T. J. Tynan (Threshermen's 

 Rev., 21 (1912), No. 5, pp. 59, 60, 62 ) .—Attention is called to the use of convict 

 labor In Colorado for road building, as being much cheaper than other Inbor. 

 It is noted that 50 miles of rock road were constructed at a cost of $1,134 per 

 mile, which by ordinary labor would have cost $25,000 per mile. 



Concrete roads in the country, N. A. Clapp (Farmers' Rev., 44 (1912), No. 

 20, p. 532, figs. 3). — Attention is called to the progress of concrete road con- 

 struction in Wayne County, Mich., briefly reviewing methods of construction 



