890 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOKD. 



Costs of mortar lining on irrigation canals, H. D. Newell (Engin. News, 

 G8 (1912), No. 15, pp. 651-653, fig. i).— This article gives cost data on the 

 lining of irrigation canals in the Umatilla project of the United States 

 Reclamation Service, including engineering, equipment, materials, and labor. 



Canal M, 12,409 ft. long having a bottom width of 4 ft., depth 4 ft., and side 

 slopes li : 1, was lined with 1 : 4 cement mortar 1^ in. thick, with a top curb 

 4 in. wide and 3 in. thick, at a total cost of $13,069.91 or ooj cts per square 

 yard. Canals L, T, and A, with side slopes of It : 1 and varying from a 

 bottom width of 4 ft. and depth of 3i ft. to a bottom width of 1 ft. and depth 

 of li ft. were lined where lining was m.cst needed with 1 : 4 cement mortar, 

 1^ in. thick, at i-esiiective costs of $1,635.62 or 48.9 cts. per square yard, 

 $4,633.70 or 62| cts. per square yard, and $2,026.76 or 64.2 cts. per square yard. 

 A serief. of gagings indicates that the lining placed has practically eliminated 

 seepage losses. 



Reclaiming Minnesota swamp lands, G. A. Ralph [Farm Implements, 26 

 {1912), No. S, pp. 36, 'fO). — A summary of 6 years' drainage work in Minnesota, 

 showing the reclamation of 6,250,000 acres of swamp land at a total cost of 

 $10,008,608 and an estimated benefit of $18,778,915. 



Filling a swamp with a pump, C. H. Clark (Amer. Cult., 74 (1912), No. 

 37, p. 2, figs. 4)- — A new method of swamp land reclamation, in which a dike 

 was constructed inclosing the flat swampy end of a lake and electrically driven 

 centrifugal immps were used to pump out the surplus water and to wash the 

 soil from the surrounding hills for filling in the swamp, is described. 



The char-pit method of destroying stumps, H. W. Sparks (Washington 

 8ta. Popular Bui. J^O, pp. 8, figs. 5). — A summary of data previously noted 

 (E. S. R., 26, p. 7S7). 



New state road law in Arizona (Good Roads, n. ser., 4 (1912), No. IJf, pp. 

 l.'fJf-lJf6). — ^A new set of road laws regulating road administration, financing, 

 construction, and maintenance in Arizona. 



Benefits of improved roads (U. 8. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 505, pp. 20, 

 figs. 8). — This publication deals with the economic and social benefits of im- 

 proved roads, quoting considerable statistical road data and cites examples 

 to show that roads improved by surfacing and reducing the grade and length 

 decrease the cost of hauling, increase the value of farm lands, increase the 

 tourist travel, and improve school and social conditions, and the rural delivery 

 mail service. It discusses the relation of roads to agricultural conditions and 

 states that good roads mean the encouragement of diversified farming, an in- 

 crease in the area of profitable production, more favorable marketing, and the 

 securing of more uniform distribution of farm products. 



In the discussion of hauling cost it is ix)inted out that the maximum grade 

 of a road tends to limit the load that can pass over the entire road and that 

 steep grades are more detrimental on improved than on unimproved roads, 

 since the grade effect quickly exceeds that of the reduced tractive resistance. 

 Attention is called to the almost total lack of reliable traflac data, and the 

 advisability is suggested of making a traffic census, including total hauling 

 charges, in each locality in order to obtain a ton-mile cost for the various 

 commodities hauled, and therewith compute the amounts of money which may 

 be profitably borrowed for road improvement. 



Concrete highways in New York State (Concrete-Cement Age, 1 (1912), 

 No. 3, pp. 31-51, figs. 5). — This article includes the principal construction speci- 

 fications and tabulated data showing the details of concrete road construction, 

 and makes particular reference to a jointless concrete road on Grand Island. 



[Specifications for experimental jointless roads] (Concrete-Cement Age, 

 1 (1912), No. 3, pp. 52-54).— Specifications as issued by the Office of Public 



