RURAL ECONOMICS. 395 



The use of windmills in irrigation in the semiarid west, P. E. Fuller 

 (U. S. Dept. Agi\, Farmers'' Bui. 3D.'i, pp. .J//, pgs. 13). — This publication, which 

 was prepared for the purpose of assisting settlers lli developing and utilizing 

 wind power for irrigation on the Great Plains, deals with sources of water 

 supply, the sinking of wells, the construction and operation of windmills aud 

 pumps, the storage and use of the water on different crops, and gives data 

 regarding the use of windmills in western Kansas and Nebraska, eastern 

 Colorado, aud near Stockton, California. 



It is stated that "windmills are used quite extensively for this purpose 

 already, and there is a wide field for extending their use. The data given for 

 plants on the Great Plains show, however, that the windmill is not a cheap 

 source of power, and that it will not, as is so often claimed, run without 

 attention. A windmill should be looked after as carefully as any other piece 

 of machinery, and if this is done It will provide power for the irrigation of 

 considerable areas at an expense which will be justified by the crops grown." 



[Drainage investigations], W. H. Day {Ann. Rpt. Ontario Agr. Col. and 

 Expt. Farm, 35 {IDO'J), pp. 55-59). — Previously noted from another source 

 (E. S. R., 22, p. 5S9). 



Building poultry houses, J. E. Rice and C. A. Rogers (New York Cornell 

 Sta. Bui. 2'i.'f, pp. Sl-12.i, flgs. 35). — Part 1 of this bulletin discusses the prin- 

 ciples essential for locating and constructing economical, convenient, comfort- 

 able, and sanitary poultry houses. Part 2 is devoted to the application of 

 these principles. Plans, details of construction, and estimates of cost of ma- 

 terials are given for 2 shed-roof houses and one continuous house. 



The estimated cost of 1 house with 2 pens each 12 by 12 ft., large enough to 

 accommodate 72 fowls in all, is $1.61 per fowl. The cost of the other with 

 pens 16 by 16 ft. and accommodating 128 fowls is $1.46 per fowl. The con- 

 tinuous house, which is 20 ft. wide and 110 ft. long, is divided into 5 pens, 

 each 20 ft. square, aud one feed room 10 by 20 ft. Exclusive of the feed room 

 the <'OSt of the continuous house is 94 cts. per fowl, or $1.03 per fowl including 

 the cost of the feed room. In all cases 4 sq. ft. is allowed per fowl. 



RURAL ECONOMICS. 



The factors of agricultural wealth production in Uruguay, A. Backhaus 

 and J. Macciiiavkllo (Rcr. Inst. Agroii. Montcridco, 1909, Nos. 5, pp. 9-^55; 6, 

 pp. 71-117). — This is a detailed account, with statistics, of land areas, charac- 

 ter of soils, size of holdings, land values, number of owners, interest rates, 

 exports and imports, rainfall, temperature, agricultural labor, farm machinery, 

 rural dwellings, labor conditions, agricultural wages, and other features bear- 

 ing on the economic life of the rural population of Uruguay. 



Natural conditions are said to be highly favorable for great wealth produc- 

 tion, but the lack and poor quality of agricultural laborers are the chief 

 obstacles to economic progress. "S'arious suggestions are made for improving 

 present conditions, including better systems of primary education, the estab- 

 lishment of agricultural schools, the use of more agricultural machinery, the 

 erection of more comfortable dwellings for farm laborers, the encouragement 

 of land owning among laborers, the regular payment of wages, and the encour- 

 agement of all forms of agricultural coo|>eration, but the cutting up of large 

 holdings and the establishment of colonizntion schemes :ire particularly em- 

 phasized as the best menus for improving the conditions. 



A general discussion of agriculture in the Belgian loess region, especially 

 in the Haspengouw, C. K. van Daalen ( Vernlug. en Meded. Dir. Landh., Dcpt. 

 Landb., Mjc. en Handel, 1910, No. 1, pp. 69-10 1, map 1). — General observations 



