1818.] RURAL ENGINEERING. 589 



under the term "mixed infections of s^viue " variuas pulinonary diseases such 

 as chronic bronchitis, pulmonary eden a, and catarrhal pneumonia, and also 

 diseases classified as necrobacillosis c.iused by Bacillus necrophorus and its 

 associate organisms. He asserts that chronic hog cholera does not exist, but 

 that the lowered resistance of the animal after an attack of cholera makes pos- 

 sible an invasion by the organisms of the mixed infection group. 



The serum treatment of hog' chole a, R. Graham {Illinois 8ta. Circ. 207 

 (1917), pp. 3-11. figs. 3). — This is a peculiar summary of information. 



Fagopyrismus (buckwheat poisoning) and similar affections, E. A. Bkxtce 

 {Jour. Amer. Yet. Med. yi-ssoc, 52 {1917), No. 2, pp. 189-194).— An outbreak of 

 buckwheat poisoning in pigs at the University of British Columbia first recorded 

 is followed by accounts of similar conditions produced by alfalfa, clover, St 

 John's wort, and knotweed. The toxic properties claimed for the knotweeds 

 (Polygonum spp.) have not been substantiated by experiments made at Agassiz. 



The poisoning of horses by the common bracken (Pteiis aquilina), S. 

 Hauwen and E. A. Bkuce (Canada Dept. Agr., Health Anitn. Branch Bui. 26 

 (1917), pp. 15, figs. 5). — This is a report of investigations and experiments 

 ''vith P. aquilina in British Columbia of which a summary has been previously 

 1- red from another source (E. S. R., 37, p. 182). 



Feeding experiments with five horses reported indicate that the addition to 

 the daily diet of about 6 lbs. of dried bracken will kill a horse in about one 

 month. 



PJJRAL ENGHTEEBING. 



Operation and maintenance of irrigation systems, S. T. Harding (Neio 

 York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., 1917, pp. XII+271, pis. 12, figs. 28).— The 

 purpose of this volume is apparently to cover the practical principles of the 

 operation and maintenance of irrigation systems and to illustrate them by 

 typical examples of their local application. No attempt is made to cover prac- 

 tice outside of the United States. 



The opening chapters deal with general maintenance, including damages for 

 failure to maintain and maintenance of canals, and maintenance of structures 

 and serviceable life of irrigation structures. Other chapters deal with organiza- 

 tion for operation and maintenance, methods of delivering irrigation water, 

 measurement of irrigation water, irrigation rules and regulations, payment for 

 construction and operation charges, general operation, and operation and main- 

 tenance accounts. An appendix gives rules and regulations for several irriga- 

 tion districts and water companies. 



Irrigating flume built with the cement gun (Engin. News-Rec, 79 (1917), 

 No. 10, pp. 4W-451, fiffs- 4)- — This is a brief description of the construction of 

 a self-supporting flume with 2-in. reinforced walls built upon inside forms. 



It was found that 130 linear feet could be constructed per 8-hour shift. The 

 cement gun was found to operate most economically when within 50 ft. of 

 the point of application. The mixture used consisted of one part cement plus 

 10 per cent hydrated lime and 4.5 part§ of coarse sand. In shooting the walls 

 it was found that the rebound material amounted to about 10 per cent of the 

 material adhering to the forms. 



Pumping plants of the XT. S. Reclamation Service, S. T. Harding (Jour. 

 Electncity, S9 (1917), No. 3, pp. 108-110, figs. .^).— This article gives data on 

 comparative costs of raising 1 acre-ft of water through a height of 1 ft., 



