EXPERIMENT STATTOX KECORD. 



there are indications tliat tbe tractor of tlie future must make possible more 

 intensive agriculture on farms of moderate size, ttiougli the hirge outfits will 

 probably continue to be used on some of the exceptionally large farms in the 

 West. It is worthy of note that some of the successful users of tractors were 

 able to reduce the number of their farm horses. This fact suggests that there 

 may be a field for farm reorganization to make possible the economical utiliza- 

 tion of the tractor." 



An efficient alfalfa ditcher, L. M. Lampson and I'.. Hunter {Washington Sta. 

 Popttlar Bui. 81 {1915), pp. Jf, figs. 3). — A ditcher for cleaning out the furrows 

 in furrow-irrigated alfalfa is described and illustrated. It consists essentially 

 of a single-shovel plow and a slide drag attached to a wooden tongue. The 

 I)low pulls against a 10-in. coil spring on the end of its beam. It is claimed 

 that with tliis device the furrow can be cleaned out to within 7 ft. of the head 

 ditch on account of the doubletree being hitched behind the plow instead of to 

 the end of the plow beam. It is also claimed that the draft of this ditcher 

 is approximately one-thii'd less than that of the ordinary ditcher and that the 

 weight of the driver upon the slide is sufficient to hold the plow in position. 



The trade in agricultural machines in France, G. Coupan {Vie. Agr. ct 

 Rurale, 3 {1914), No. 18, pp. 469, 470, fig. 1; abs-. in Intemat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], 

 Mo. Bui Agr. Intel, and Plant Disea.scs, 5 {1914), No. 6. pp. 805, 806, fig. 1).— 

 The greatest quantity of agricultural machines and implements imported into 

 France is said to have come from the United States, namely. 55 per cent in 

 1895 and C9 per cent in 1912. The next most important country in this connec- 

 tion is the United Kingdom, followed by Germany. Mowers, reapers, and 

 binders are the most extensively imported. French machines are exported 

 chiefly to the French colonies and protectorates. 



How to erect small concrete farm buildings {Cement Era, 12 {1914), No. 12, 

 pp. 40, 41j fiffs. 3). — Methods of the construction of small concrete farm buildings 

 without the aid of mechanics are briefly described. 



The wooden hoop silo, W. D. Zinn {West Virginiu Sta. Circ. 8 {1914). PP- 4- 

 figs. 2). — A brief description of the construction of the wooden hoop silo is gi^-en. 



The shower-bath system of sheep dipping {Impl. ami Mach. Rev., 39 {1914), 

 No. 468, p. 1660; abs. in Internat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. Intel, and 

 Plant Diseases, 5 {1914), No. 6, pp. 809, 810, fig. 1). — This system is described 

 and illustrated. It consists of a shed 40 ft. long by 12 ft. wide, the roof of 

 which is of flat perforated iron sheets. The dip is pumped by a 3-in. centrifugal 

 pump from a tank to the roof and falls through the perforations onto the 200 

 sheep beneath, the shower lasting about seven minutes. This method, it is 

 stated, is proving entirely satisfactory, enabling four men to dip 1,000 sheep 

 per hour. 



A house for sixty hens, W. E. Fkttdden {Amer. Thresherman, 17 {1914). ^o. 

 8, pp. 74, 75, figs. 3). — A house for sixty hens built on the open but closable 

 front plan is described and diagrammatically illustrated. 



Air-cooled apple storage houses, W. N. Hutt {Nortli Carolina Sta. Bui. 228 

 {1914), pp. 3-31, figs. 23). — It is the pui'pose of this publication to point out 

 the essential features m the construction of air-cooled apple storage houses 

 and to illustrate both in plan and section typical storage houses which exem- 

 plify approved methods of construction and of ventilation. 



It is stated that the efficiency of any form of fruit storage house depends 

 on the insulating of a chamber with walls of such material and of sufBcieut 

 thickness that the temperatui-e within will be affected as little as possible 

 by fluctuations of temperature without. Cement concrete is considered to be 

 one of the best materials for the construction of storage houses. It is further 

 l)ointed out that in the construction of inexpensive but efficient orchard storage 



