RURAL ENGINEERING. 789 



preignition at all, but is thought to be due to a '•cracking" of the heavier 

 portion of the kerosene. 



Motor plowing competition of the North Kent Agricultural Association 

 (Iinpl. and Mach. Kcr., 39 {1913), No. 7/67,, ;jp. 10H9-1092; ahx. in Intcnuit. Inst. 

 Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 5 {19W, No. 6, pp. 800, 

 801). — Results of a motor plowing comi>etition in which four machines com- 

 peted are reported. Three, four, and six furrow plows were used. 



The portions of land assigned to each machine wei-e substantially of identical 

 character. The depth of the plowing was in all cases approximately 7 in. and 

 the quality of the work was fair. Considering all the usual factors a 20-horse- 

 power motor and a 3-furrow plow made the highest scores. 



Standardization of faiTO. wagons, E. E. Parsonage {Trans. Amcr. Sac. Agr. 

 Emjin., 7 {1913), pp. 120-130). — The author points out the inefficiency of the 

 present system of manufacturing and selling of farm wagons to farmers from 

 the standpoint of their construction, and makes recommendations as to methods 

 for bringing about standardization of wagon equipment. These are based on 

 the standardizing and simplifying of the sizes of wagons and wheel heights 

 and the standardizing of the track of wagons and the tire widths and thick- 

 nesses. 



A cheap and effective homemade plank drag, F. G. Keauss {liaivaii Sta. 

 Press Bui. ^9 {1915), pp. Ji, figs. 2). — This bulletin illustrates, describes the 

 construction of, and gives a bill of materials for, a plank drag to be used on 

 Hawaiian soils. 



It is stated that the plank drag is most valuable when the soil breaks up 

 "cloddy" and harrowing fails to pulverize it. "Unless the land is too moist, 

 the plank drag should follow the harrow immediately. ... In going over the 

 ground with the drag a half lap should always be taken, and if necessary, the 

 ground should be cross dragged. The drier and harder the clods the greater 

 should be the weight applied. . . . Care should be taken not to add too much 

 weight when the soil is moist since in so doing the soil may become compacted 

 to an extent far greater than any beneficial results that might othei-wise have 

 accrued." 



Imports and exports of agricultural machines and implements into and 

 out of Germany in 1913 {Maschinen Ztg., 12 {191Jf), No. Jf, p. ^5; ahs. in Inter- 

 nat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 5 {1914), No. 

 6, p. 806). — Tabular data are given showing the exports to have been greatly in 

 the majority excepting in the case of mowers and reapers, of which about 

 eight times as many were imported as exported. 



The manufacture of agricultural machines and implements in Russia in 

 1911 {Landw. Masch. u. Gcrdte, IJf {1911f), No. 13, pp. 15-22, 40; abs. in Inter- 

 nat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 5 {1914), No. 

 6, pp. 803-805). — It is stated that this industry in Russia has developed of late 

 years to such an extent that in 1911 it was in a position to place on the home 

 market £6.502,400 (i?31.64.3.920.G0) worth of machinery and implements. About 

 820 factories built agricultural machinery, of which 66.5 were situated in Euro- 

 pean Russia, 110 in Poland, 37 in the Caucasus, and S in Siberia. The total 

 output amounted in 1911 to f.5.320.017, which was distributed among the va- 

 rious groups of machinery as follows: Tillage implements £9.54,530. sowing 

 machines £804,500, harvesting machines £1,312,321, threshing machines £713,360, 

 cleaning and grading machines £239,796. machines for preparing fodder £146.225, 

 gins and transmissions £298,053, power motors £324,062, and other machines 

 and implements and duplicate parts £527,170. 



