RURAL ECONOMICS. 787 



accompaniments, the church is losing control over the ethical and moral stand- 

 ards and aspirations of the community. The evident remedy is that ministers 

 of the gospel should be men not only thoroughly imbued with Christian ideals, 

 but should also have a practical appreciation of American standards and prac- 

 tices in business and social life." 



Rural morality, P. L. Vogt (Soo. Hyg., 1 (1915), No. 2, pp. 207-219) .—The 

 author in attempting to get a picture of the moral life of rural and village com- 

 munities collected data in two counties in one of the middle Western States. 

 The data relate to the number of cases of venereal disease treated during the 

 past year, the evidence of forced marriages as shown by comparison of mar- 

 riage dates with records of birth of the first child, extent of illegitimacy, records 

 of juvenile courts, records of criminal cases in the county and before mayors 

 and justices of the peace, and divorce records. The value and the limitations 

 of each type of data are discussed and important factors influencing the 

 morality of rural communities are pointed out. 



Deficiencies in Italian agriculture (Staz. Sper. Ayr. Ital., 47 (1914), No. 

 4, pp. 241-281). — The author notes that Italy imports a large quantity of grain 

 in various forms, which he believes should be produced within the country. He 

 points out the causes for this situation, and outlines means that may be em- 

 ployed to counteract it, among which are agricultural schools, experiment sta- 

 tions, and the establishment of better systems of crop rotation. 



Cooperation in Spanish, agriculture (Internat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. 

 Econ. and Sac. Intel., 6 {1915), Nos. 3, pp. 10-27; 5, pp. 14-25).— This article 

 describes legislation concerning cooperative societies, and the organizations for 

 cooperative credit and for the purchase and sale of agricultural produce and 

 supplies. A number of statistical tables are given showing the progress of the 

 various types of organization. 



Agricultural credit, Edna D. Bullock (New York: E. W. Wilson Co., 1915 

 pp. XIV +177).' — This book is intended as a source of information on agri- 

 cultural credit for students and others, and contains an extensive bibliography 

 and a number of selected reprints. 



Middlemen in English business, particularly between 1660 and 1760, 

 11. B. WESTERFiELn (Truns. Conn. Acad. Arts and Sci., 19 (1915), pp. 113-445, 

 pis. 7). — This book describes the function of the middlemen in English trade 

 between 1660 and 1760, and outlines the laws and regulations that were promul- 

 gated to control their activities. Two chapters are devoted to the middlemen's 

 function in the corn and corn products trades and in the animal and animal 

 products trades. 



Report of the trade and commerce of Chicago, 1914 (Ann. Rpt. Bd. Trade 

 Chicago, 57 (1914), pp. XLII +196+139, figs. 2).— This report gives statistical 

 data showing prices and movement of agricultural produce and provisions in 

 Chicago. It also contains the rules and by-laws of the Chicago Board of Trade. 



Farm-machinery trade associations ( U. S. Dept. Com., Bur. Corpovfitions, 

 Farm-Machinery Trade Assoc, 1915, pp. XVI +368). — This repoi't describ<js the 

 activities of the associations connected with the farm machinery trade in their 

 attempts to fix wholesale prices, establish uniformity in production and in cost 

 accounting, influence legislation, restrict retail trade to retail dealers, and pre- 

 vent price cutting. The report points out that many of these activities have 

 been proper for the protection of legitimate interests, but claims there are others 

 of doubtful legality which have had a tendency to limit competition and enhance 

 prices. 



Efforts of communities in the United States toward the control of the 

 l)igh cost of living, G. Nestlee-Tkicoche (Ann. R^g. Directe [SwitzerUmd], 

 12146°— No. 8— 15 7 



