1918] RURAL ENGINEERING. 591 



and ditches, and records of rainfall and evaporation in the Territory of Hawaii 

 for the bienniitl period ended June 30. 1915. 



The flowing wells of western Queensland, J. W. Grkgoey {Queensland 

 Oeogr. Jour., n. set:, 30-31 {1916), No. 16-17, pp. 1-29, pi. 1, fig.'i. /,).— The gen- 

 eral characteristics of these artesian wells are discussed. 



Tile drainage on the farm, E. R. .Tones and O. R. Zeasman {Wisconsin Sta, 

 Bui. 284 {1917), pp. 32, figs. 22). — This bulletin deals with tile drainage on the 

 individual farm, discussing the benefits of drainage and some of the construc- 

 tion problems, and giving detailed directions for the selection and laying of 

 tile drain. Cost estimates and other data are included. 



Draining of peat lands by canals, K. H. Lundevall {Svenska Mosskulturfor. 

 Tidskr., 31 {1917). No. 1, pp. ^3-54. figs. 8). — Methods of draining peat lands 

 in Sweden by the use of canals are described and illustrated. The ditches are 

 apparently designed with sufficient velocity to be self-cleaning. 



Preliminary report on Kearney Vineyard experimental drain, W. W. Weir 

 {Irrig. Age, 32 {1917), No. 10, pp. 151-158, figs. 11).— The substance of this 

 article has been noted from another source (E. S. R., 36, p. 584). 



Studies on the culture media employed in the bacteriological examination 

 of water. ^ — IV, Neutral red lactose peptone media, E. M. Chamot and 0. M. 

 Sherwood {Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc, 39 {1917), No. 8, pp. 1755-1766).— In a 

 fourth report of studies on culture me<lia for the bacteriological examination of 

 water (E. S. R., 34, p. 286) experiments were conducted to ascertain (1) the 

 influence upon the color change of an increased amount of peptone alone instead 

 of the usual 1 or 2 per cent peptone with meat broth or meat extract; (2) the 

 effect of systematic variations of the various components ; that is, peptone, 

 lactose, acidity, salt, and neutral red, on the sensitiveness of the contrast reac- 

 tion ; (3) the effect of these variations on the volume and composition of the 

 gases formed; (4) the true nature of the chemical reactions involved in the 

 color change; (5) the value of neutral red medium as an indicator of fecal 

 pollution, other than human, in drinking water. The following conclusions 

 were drawn : 



''A neutral red medium composed of from 3 to 4 per cent peptone, 0.8 per 

 cent potassium chlorid or potassium sulphate, 0.6 per cent lactose, 0.008 per cent 

 neutral red with a reaction of -f 1 per cent affords a very sensitive and accurate 

 medium for the speedy detection of fecal pollution by bacteria. The addition of 

 meat broth increases the sensitiveness of the medium but is not essential. The 

 yellow fluorescent compound formed by the action of the bacteria is probably 

 dimethyldiaminomethylhydrophenazin, a simple reduction product of neutral 

 red. Ammonia does not enter into the formation of the reduction product. 

 The Stokes neutral i*ed medium is a convenient and reliable one for the detec- 

 tion of fecal contamination in water and is more sensitive than lactose bile." 



Seasonal distribution of soil and fecal strains of the colon-aerogenes 

 group in surface waters, Myrtle Greenfield and W. N. Skourup {Jour. Indus, 

 and Engin. Chem., 9 {1917), No. 7, pp. 675-678). — Experiments conducted at the 

 Kansas State Board of Health water and sewage laboratory on the variation 

 of the organisms of the colon-aerogenes group in the surface water supplies 

 of Kansas are reported. 



It is concluded that " there seems to be no difference bet^veen soil and 

 fecal strains of organisms of the colon-aerogenes group from surface water 

 supplies in their resistance to treatment, nor is there a difference between 

 cultures of the four principal groups of MacConkey, isolated from surface 

 water supplies, in their resistance to treatment. There is a correlation be- 

 tween the increase in the fecal strains of organisms of the colon-aerogenes 

 group during dry weather and the sanitary survey." 



