488 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOKD. 



The industrial use of peat, E. C. Vekschoor (Chem. WeekU., 11 (1914), No. 

 45, pp. 980-990) .—This article discusses tlie use of peat as a fuel for steam 

 boilers and as a source of gas fuel for gas burners and internal combustion 

 engines. The heat efficiency obtained from the gas is said to be greater than 

 from the fuel itself. The development of gas fuel from peat is thought, there- 

 fore, to offer the greater commercial inducement. 



The use of electricity on Ontario farms, H. P. Staekett ( U. 8. Dept. Com., 

 Com. Rpts., No. 52 (1915), pp. 886-888).— It is stated that since the action 

 taken in 1905 whereby the province controls and operates all water powers 

 within its boundaries, the use of electricity on farms has gradually developed 

 and "the result today in Ontario is the definite establishment of electricity 

 as a very practical aid to the farmer of the more progressive type. In this 

 development actual experiments have demonstrated that motors developing from 

 1 to 8 horsepower will do all of the ordinary power work of the farm, while 

 for the heavier work, such as threshing, silo filling, grinding, etc.. 20-horsepower 

 motors are required." 



It is stated that considerable economy has accompanied the use of electric 

 current as compared with steam. 



Machines and implements at the 1914 exposition of the German Agricul- 

 tural Society, Luedecke (Filhling's Landiv. Ztg., 63 {1914), No. 19-20, pp. 609- 

 654, fiffs. 22). — This article describes and illustrates recent developments in a 

 large number of agricultural machines. 



The first large American Humphrey pump, C. C. Tbump (Gas Engine, 17 

 (1915). No. 2, pp. 95-100, figs. 8). — This article describes and illustrates a 66-in. 

 pump to be used for irrigation purposes, said to be the first of its kind in this 

 country. The principles under which this type of pump operates were described 

 in a previous article (E. S. R., 26, p. 893). 



A new deep-well pump, L. Andreuzzi (Agr. Colon. [Italy], 7 (1914), No. 10, 

 pp. 620-640, pis. 2, figs. 6). — The author describes and diagrammatically illus- 

 trates a type of compressed-air or pneumatic pump which he states is adapted 

 to deep-well pumping for both irrigation and domestic uses. The mathematical 

 principles underlying the operation of this pump are presented and efficiency 

 tests compared with similar tests of other types of pumps, particularly the 

 centrifugal pump. It is claimed that an efficiency of 70 per cent may be ex- 

 ceeded with this pump, while the tests of other types show efficiencies rarely 

 reaching 70 per cent. Its deep-well pumping facilities are said to be its greatest 

 asset. 



Results of a tractor investigation, P. S. Rose (Amer. Thresherman, 17 (1915), 

 No. 11, pp. 5-9, fig. 1). — The author tabulates the first 96 answers to a large 

 number of letters sent to tractor owners in the various States and the western 

 provinces of Canada asking for views as to tractor farming. 



A large percentage of the replies stated that the tractor is cheaper than 

 horses. The estimates of service ranged from 4 to 25 years, with an average 

 of a little less than 10 years. While some of the repair bills have been rather 

 high, it is stated that the amount of work has been in proportion and the cost 

 per unit of work has been excessive only in a few cases. It is also brought out 

 that no particular make of tractor has had a monopoly of either the successes 

 or the failures. Of the 60 per cent reporting the possession of a shop, a num- 

 ber have been unsuccessful with the tractor. 



The author states that on the whole the evidence that he has obtained is 

 favorable to the tractor, in spite of the number of failures, which he attributes 

 mostly to lack of knowledge on the part of the operator in the beginning. 



The gas tractor situation in Iowa, J. B. Davidson (Amer. Thresherman, 17 

 (1915), No. 11, pp. 70, 71, fig. i).— The author states that the factors which will 



