EUKAL ENGINEERING. 393 



The points on which the merits of the machines were judged were uniformity 

 of distribution, etficiency of regulating output, adaptability to various materials, 

 freedom from clogging, facilities for emptying and cleaning, economy of work- 

 ing, capacity of hopper, widtli of distribution, construction, draft, and price. 

 The first test consiste<.l of sowing superphosphate at the rate of G cwt, per acre. 

 and the second of sowing 1 cwt. of sulphate of ammonia to the acre on ^-acre 

 plats. 



Poultry-picking machine (Sci. Anicr., 100 (1909), No. 22, p. 411, fig. 1).— 

 A machine for piclciug poultry is illustrated and described, which does not re- 

 quire an operator to hold the fowl against the pickers. The fowl is attached to 

 a belt which passes through a picking chamber. The feathers are seized by 

 combs and torn off by suction. 



The Bergner-Revalo milking machine {Dent. Lanclw. Presse, 36 (1909), 

 No. 15, p. IG'i, lius. J; Molk. Ztg. Berlin, 19 (1909), No. 15, pp. lJf7-l.'i9, figs. 

 5). — This is a description of a patented milking machine recently put on the 

 market in Germany. 



Choosing a farm power, J. Evans (Ann. Rpt. Ontario Agr. Col. and E.rpt. 

 Farm, JJ (1908), pp. 252-256). — A brief discussion is given of the requirements 

 of an engine adapted to farm uses and the type and power of an engine suited 

 to various kinds of farm work. 



An abridged account of the trials of agricultural motors at the Winnipeg 

 industrial exhibition, previously noted (E. S. R.. 20, p. 485), is appended. 



Electroculture: A study of general conditions of the application of elec- 

 tricity in agriculture, P. Lecler (Bid. Soc. Agr. France, n. scr., J/l (1909), 

 Map 15, Sup., pp. 581:-600). — This paper, which was I'ead before the Society of 

 Agriculturists of France, contains a study of general conditions affecting the 

 application of electricity in agriculture. The applications in France have been 

 few, and the author ascribes this to present economic conditions, which are dis- 

 cussed together with the various agricultural operations to which electricity 

 may be applied. The cost of equipment and obtaining current is shown to be 

 too large to make the use of electricity iirofitalile on any but the largest projects. 



Report on. the modern evolution of gas-producing units and their appli- 

 cations in agriculture, Couequin (BhL Soc. Agr. France, n. ser., Jfl (1909), 

 May 15, Hup., pp. 579-5S6). — This is the text of a paper read by the author 

 before the Society of Agriculturists of France. The subject is treated from a 

 general point of view, the object being to establish the engineering and economic 

 principles underlying the evolution of gas-producing plants. The discussion 

 includes methods of gas manufacture, comparisons between the different sys- 

 tems of producing gas, substances available as combustibles, and the extent to 

 which producers can be applied profitably in agriculture. 



Fuel from peat, M. Ekenberg (Engineer [London'], 107 (1909), No. 2787, 

 pp. 5.'i9, 550, fig. 1). — In this paper, vend before a recent meeting of the English 

 Iron and Steel Institute, the author gives an account of experiments and re- 

 searches made with the view to obtaining a suitable process for converting peat 

 into fuel without air drying. From studies on the question of pressing the 

 water out of peat he found that the cause of the water not separating under 

 pressure is the presence of a slimy hydrocellulose, which is present to the 

 extent of 0.2 to 1.2 per cent in peat substance. It was found that this could be 

 destroyed by heating in the presence of water to temperatures above 150° C, 

 and a method based on this principle was devised, whicli is described witli a 

 diagram showing the npiiaratus used. 



Corrosion of wire fence, L. G. Michael kt al. (Itnca Slate Col. Agr. h'pt. 

 1901-8, pp. l.'i5-lJi8). — This is a preliminary report of investigations being pur- 



