1917] RURAL ENGINEERING. 187 



may have prevented a general rise of the ground water that would have been 

 of serious consequence." 



Some suggestions for the organization and financing of drainage projects, 

 S. H. McCkory (Agr. of Mass., 63 {1015), pp. 103-115).— The autlior outlines 

 briefly some of the fundamental principles governing the organization and 

 financing of drainage districts. " Those who may be charged with the prepa- 

 ration of a law on drainage should make a careful, comprehensive study of the 

 needs of the State, and of the laws of other States which have proved suc- 

 cessful. Too much caution can not be exercised in drafting such a law so 

 that it may be in harmony with the state and Federal constitutions and the 

 trend of decisions on the subject." 



Proceedings of the second Good Roads Institute, held at the University 

 of North Carolina, February 23-27, 1915, compiled by J. H. Pratt and Miss 

 H. M. Berry (2V. C. Geol. and Econ. Survey, Econ. Paper >}3 {1916), pp. 122, 

 figs. 7). — These proceedings contain the following special articles: Considera- 

 tions Governing the Proper Locations of Roads, by T. F. Hickerson ; Economical 

 Methods of Moving Rock, by W. S. Fallis; The effect of Grades Upon the 

 Design and Location of Roads, by D. T. Brown ; Economical Methods of Mov- 

 ing Earth in Road Construction, by N. C. Hughes, jr. ; Sand-clay, Topsoil, and 

 Gravel Roads, by C. M. Strahan; Sand-clay and Topsoil Roads in Craven and 

 Wayne Counties, by R. E. Snowden ; Sand-clay and Topsoil Roads in Orange 

 County, by R. T. Brown ; Use of Bituminous Compounds in Road Construction, 

 by F. M. Whitfield ; Specifications : A Discussion of Their Importance in Road 

 Building, by B. S. Drane; and Road Maintenance, by W. W. Crosby. 



[Road laws of the State of Kentucky] {Ky. Dcpt. Fub. Roads Bui. 6 {1916), 

 pp. 116). — This is a compilation of the laws of Kentucky relating to public 

 roads and their management. 



Economic surveys of county highway improvement, J. E. Pennybacker 

 and M. O. Eldridge {V. S. Dept. Ayr. Bui. 393 {1916), pp. 86, pis. 36).— This is 

 a compilation and analysis of data obtained in eight selected counties, Spotsyl- 

 vania, Dinwiddle, Lee, and Wise counties in Virginia, Franklin County in 

 New York, Dallas County in Alabama, Lauderdale County in Mississippi, and 

 Manatee County in Florida, showing comparative financial burdens and eco- 

 nomic benefits resulting from highway improvement during the period from 

 1910 to 1915, inclusive. On the whole the experience of the eight counties dem- 

 onstrated that " the beneficial effects of the road improvement justified the 

 outlay, and that while more efficiency and economy might have been obtained in 

 some cases, the loss was not such as to make the citizens of any of the counties 

 feel that the move for better roads had been an unwise one." 



With reference to the increase in the values of farm lands it was found 

 " that following the improvement of the main market roads the increase in the 

 selling price of tillable farm lands served by the roads amounted to from one 

 to three times the total cost of the improvements. The increases in values in 

 those instances which were recorded ranged from 63 per cent to 80 per cent in 

 Spotsylvania, from 68 to 194 in Dinwiddie, 70 to 80 in Lee, 25 to 100 in Wise, 9 

 to 114 in Franklin, 50 to 100 in Dallas, 25 to 50 in Lauderdale, nnd from 50 to 

 100 in Manatee." Considering the eight counties in the aggregate, the gross 

 annual savings in hauling costs due to their good-roads systems amounted to a 

 total of $627,409 for a traffic of 3,489,652 ton-miles. The average gross saving 

 per ton-mile for the eight counties was 17.8 cts., this being indicated by an 

 average rate of 33.5 cts. before the roads were improved, as compared with 

 15.7 cts. after the loads were improved. The net saving per ton-mile after de- 

 ducting the cost of the interest and principal was 11.6 cts. 

 76601°— 17 7 



