EURAL ENGINEERING. 391 



kind of soil of this ;uva. tojiotlier witli a lirii'f doscription of the irri;;ating 

 plant and the cost of pivparini; the land for water and cnltivation. 



The plant consists of a GO-horse power horizontal engine operatinj; a centri- 

 fugal pump with a capacity of 4.000 gals, a minute, and the water is delivered 

 into 'a canal the dimensions of which are, base. 2 ft., depth. 3 ft. G in., and side 

 slopes 1* : 1. 



A large amount of this land is already settled, and the cost data and notes 

 on preparing the land for cultivation, which are given, were obtained from the 

 settlers. A map of the area accompanies the article. 



Drainage [work of the Ontario Agricultural CollegeJ, W. H. Day [Ann. 

 Rpt. Ontario Agr. Col. antl Expt. Farm, S-'t {1908), j)i). 50-58).— The work re- 

 ported for 190S Included surveying and demonstrations, investigations of ditch- 

 ing machinery, and cement tile making. 



Thei'e were 100 surveys unule during the year, and progress is reported iu 

 increasing interest in drainage by this means and by demonstrations or tield 

 meetings which have been held in the localities where the surveys were made. 



It is reported that ditching operations in Ontario are hindered by scarcity of 

 labor and failure to adopt improved methods. In order to arouse interest iu 

 machine ditching an investigation was made of a traction ditching machine. 

 The machine, which is similar to one previously described (E. S. R., 20. p. 484) 

 is reported to operate satisfactorily and to lessen considerably the cost of 

 trenching as compared witti hand work. The machine dug on an average of 

 90 to 100 rods of 3-ft. trench per day in very heavy clay. The total cost was 

 about 21 cts. a rod for 2i-ft. depth and 24^ cts. a rod when excavating to a 

 depth of 3 ft. 



In experiments in making cement tile, it was found that using a tile machine, 

 one hag of cement and 6 cu. ft. of sand would make 75 .3-in. tiles and at a rate 

 of 525 per day of 10 hours. The total cost of making in that locality was at 

 the rate of $9.33 per thousand. 



The remainder of the report is devoted to a brief discussion of the laws re- 

 garding drainage and public funds available for drainage operations. 



The King's highway, R. Ryves {London [190Si, pp. VIII+96, pis. 7, figs. 

 27). — The author of this vs^ork discusses road making and improvements largely 

 from an economic standpoint, but somewhat as to its engineering features. Of 

 the subjects treated, the following are the most px-oniinent : The administration 

 and practice of road making in Europe and England and some of the more pro- 

 gressive States of this country; road policies, including laws regarding high- 

 ways; motor traftic, and its intiuence on roads, as well as its economic aspect; 

 dimensions of roads and factors affecting them; road materials; maintenance 

 and repair; dust lu-eventives; and the influence of the elements on the life 

 of roads. 



The systematic patching of macadamized roads, .T. S. Pickering {Surveyor, 

 So {J 909), No. 903, Sup., pp. ■',!, 48; abs. in Engin. Rrc, 59 {1909), No. 22. pp. 

 698, 699). — In a paper read at a road conference recently held in England the 

 author advocates systematic patching of roads, and points out its many 

 advantages. 



When a patch is too small to warrant the use of an ordinary steam roller the 

 author has used a specially designed roller and water tank combined, which is 

 completely described. The essentials of its construction are a rolling wheel 

 3 ft. 6 in. wide and 3 ft. 6 in. in diameter at the rear of the roller, sur- 

 mounted by a 200-gal. water tank, which distributes the water through a per- 

 forated pipe. There is a box for weiglits, so that these and the quantity of 

 water in the tank can be regulated to give any desired pressure on the roller. 



