188 



EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



country houses. The soil, the subsoil, surface drainage, aspect, healthful sur- 

 roundings and those which are objectionable, the cellar of the house, the light- 

 ing, heating and ventilation, the water supply, sewerage and plumbing, are 

 briefly discussed. 



" In the .second part detailed advice is given as to how to procure a satis- 

 factory water supply. The sources of water, the various modes of raising 

 it, the storage in reservoirs, elevated tanks or underground pressure tanks, 

 and finally water distribution, are dwelt on at length and illustrated by actual 

 examples from the author's engineering practice." 



"All improvements" in country houses (Dtni's Rev., 13 {1909), No. 3, 

 pp. 49-51, figs. 6). — The installation of sanitary and heating appliances in 

 country homes is discussed. Attention is particularly directed to equipment of 

 this sort which it is claimed may be purchased ready fitted and installed by 

 the purchaser. 



Home conveniences at small expense, Lulu S. Wolford (Ann. Rpf. Nebr. 

 Bd. Agr., 190S, pp. 219-22S, figs. 3). — The construction of kitchens, water sup- 

 ply, and other topics are discussed with special reference to lessening the work 

 of the farmer's wife. 



RURAL ECONOMICS. 



The cost of producing- Minnesota farm products, 1902—1907, E. C. Paekeb 

 and T. P. Cooper ( L'. S. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. Stat is. Bui. 73, pp. 09, pis. 2, fig. 1). — 

 In continuation of previous work this bulletin gives the results of investigations, 

 including the statistics and conclusions reached for the years 1902-1904, inclu- 

 sive (E. S. R.. 18, p. 686), on the cost of producing farm crops in typical sections 

 of Minnesota with particular reference to the years 1905, 1906, and 1907. The 

 factors of cost include a determination of the wages of farm .labor including 

 cost of board, maintenance of farm horses and cost of horse labor, depreciation 

 of farm machinery, land rental, and general expenses. The cost of production 

 of staple crops grown was as follows: 



Average annual cost per acre of producing field crops, 1902-1907. 



Crop. 



Barley — fall plowed 



Clover — cut for seed 



Corn— ears husked from standing 

 stalks 



Corn — cut, shocked, and shredded 



Corn— cut, shocked, and hauled in 



from the field 



Corn — grown thickly and siloed 



Flaxseed— thrashe(t from windrow 



Flaxseed- stacked from windrow 



Flaxseed— bound, shocked, stacked, 



and thrashetl 



Fodder corn — cut and shocked in field.— 

 Fodder corn — cut, shocked, and stacked 

 Hay — timothy and clover (first crop)-- 



Average 

 for all 

 farms. 



$8,211 

 6.500 



10.438 

 15.297 



10.265 

 19.892 

 7.496 

 7.851 



7.278 



9.630 



12.362 



5.591 



Crop. 



Hay— timothy and clover (two cut- 

 tings) 



Hay — millet 



Hay — wild grasses 



Hay— timothy. 



Hemp 



Mangels 



Oats — fall plowed 



Oats — on diskeil corn stubble 



Potatoes — machine production 



Potatoes — machine production (use 



o f fertilizer ) _ 



Timothy — cut for seed 



Wheat — fall plowed 



Average 

 for all 

 farms. 



$7,178 

 7.105 

 4.042 

 3.. 394 

 6.741 



32.682 

 8.863 

 8.884 



26.366 



37.721 

 4.332 

 7.249 



Some other cost data include the average cost of maintaining milch cows 

 estimated at $40.97 per year exclusive of the cost of shelter, which ranges from 

 $4 to $8. 



The average annual labor cost of feeding and managing 3 sows and 19 pigs 

 amounted to $30.37 ; of feeding and managing a flock of 48 native sheei), $20.34 ; 

 the cost of production of pasture per acre is about $4,07 ; the average cost of 

 feeding a farm work horse a year was $51.39. 



