1819] RURAL ECONOMICS. 387 



sludge sump. From the results of a period of operation extending from March 

 17 until June 27 it was found that with a 4-hour aeration period, using 1 cu. ft 

 of air per gallon of sewage treated per minute and using between 10 per cent 

 and 20 per cent of activated sludge with a settling period of 30 minutes, an 

 effluent was produced which would remain in the incubator at 37° C. for 10 

 days with a bacterial reduction of 96 to 99.6 per cent. Poor results were ob- 

 tained when the aeration period was cut down to 2 hours. 



Economic highway transportation, R. C. Barnett (Oood Roads, n. ser., 15 

 (1918), No. 19, pp. 241-2^5, figs. 5). — A large amount of tabular and graphic 

 data on different types of highway transportation in relation to the roadbed, 

 based on conditions in Missouri, is given. 



Traffic laws in relation to highway construction and maintenance. W. A. 

 McLean (Good Roads, n. ser., 15 (1918), No. 7, pp. 97, 98, 105).— This is a 

 paper presented at the fifteenth annual convention of the American Road 

 Builders' Association, St. Louis, Mo., February, 1918, in which traffic laws are 

 summarized to show their relation to highway engineering. 



The efficiency of the motor truck in terms of cost per ton-mile, R. E. 

 Chamberlain (Good Roads, n. ser., 15 (1918), No. 8, pp. Ill, 112). — This is a 

 paper presented at the fifteenth annual convention of the American Road 

 Builders' Association at St. Louis, Mo., February, 1918, in which data on the 

 economic use of motor trucks for highway transportation are given. 



Improved roller curtain for commercial poultry house, G. R. Shoup (Wash- 

 ington Sta., West. Wash. Sta. Mo. Bui, 6 (1918), No. 9, pp. 130-183, fig. 1).— 

 The device illustrated is a roller curtain of muslin which resembles, in gen- 

 eral, that used for roller awnings, except that it is anchored at all heights and 

 can not flap in the wind. A curtain 200 ft. long and 6 ft. wide can be 

 handled by one windlass. The curtain can be partly elevated to secure ventila- 

 tion on quiet winter nights and can be entirely rolled up out of the dust in 

 summer, thus removing two disadvantages of the muslin-front poultry house. 



RURAL ECONOMICS. 



Rural problems, A. W. Ashhy (In The Industrial Outlook. London: Chutto 

 d Windus, 1917, pp. 207-254). — The author includes in his discussion of rural 

 problems the intensification of production, the increasing of the cultivated aroa 

 by reclaiming land and by afforestation of rough grazing and sport lands, the 

 supply of labor for production, and the conditions of the agricultural classes. 

 He recommends that from the point of view of economy of production and 

 standard of living and intelligence, the small holding has a place only in the 

 market-garden industry- The large industrial farm is open to criticism also, 

 but has many advantages. 



The points developed in the discussion of condition of the agricultural classes 

 are that (1) the mo< 1 satisfactory method of raising wages would be by mutual 

 action on the part of the laborers; (2) improvement of housing conditions 

 should come through the industry itself; (3) a business policy founded on exact 

 knowledge is needed on all estates; and (4) education in management of land 

 and of cultivation, in farm accounting and marketing, and the improvement of 

 elementary education are fundamental to all rural problems. 



The chapter has appended a bibliography on 12 aspects of the rural problem. 



The rural problem, A. W. Ashby (London: The Athenaeum [1917], pp. 40). — 

 This treatise is similar to that noted above, adding a somewhat more de- 

 tailed discussion of village life, the rural school, the village club, and the rural 

 church. It contains the bibliography noted. 



111401°— 19 7 



