^'"^6] EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 891 



RURAL ECONOMICS. 



The elements of an ideal rural civilization, II. .1. WATtnt.s {Proc. !^oc. Prom. 

 Agr. Soi., S6 (1915), pp. 7-15).— In this address, delivers] beforr Uie meeting 

 of tlie Society for tJie Proniotioa of Agricidtural Science at Berlteley, Cal., in 

 August, 1915, the author summarizes what he considers the elements of an 

 idexil rural civilization as follows: 



"Opportunities for the rui-al people equal to those of the town people and 

 the power and inclination of the rural people to live up to their opportunities, 

 or to phrase It more tersely, income and idealism, are the two elements out of 

 which a stable and satisfactory rural rivilizatiun will be built. A soelety 

 having for its object the promotion of the science of agriculture can not afford 

 to exalt one of these elements above the other." 



Some effects of war conditions on agriculture, A. Smei'Ham (Jour. Roy. 

 Lancashire Agr. Soc, 1916, pp. 25-.J6').— Among the effects to which attention 

 is called in this article is the scarcity of commercial fertilizers and commercial 

 feeding stuffs. 



V/omen and the land, Viscountess Wolseley (London: Chatto d Windus, 

 1916, pp. XI +230, pis. 12). — This book discusses the relationship of women to 

 the problems of English agriculture, not only from the viewpoint of present 

 war conditions, but also in relation to future development. Among the topics 

 treated itre the peasant class of the future, cooperation, women's institutes, 

 better Iiousing conditions, better farm wages, village industries, the education 

 of farm v/omen and girls, and the women gardeners of the future. 



Our country church problems, E. C. Bkanson (Univ. N. C, Ext. Bur, Circ. 

 1 (1916), pp. 10). — The author discusses the influence of rural migration, farm 

 tenancy, and absentee preachers upon the rural church problem, and advocates 

 the establishment of a country church with home-resident ministers receiving 

 living salarie.'i. 



Factors affecting interest rates and other charges on short-time farm loans, 

 C. W. Thompson (U. S. Dcpt. Agr. Bui. .'{09 (1916), pp. 12, pis. 2).— Among the 

 factors discus.sed are the natural conditions affecting agriculture, distance from 

 financial centere, character of the borrowers, methods and character of farming, 

 and characteristics of the loan and the relation of the farmer to the loan agency. 



Influence of age on the value of dairy cows and farm work horses, J. C. 

 McDowEM, (U. 8. Dept. Agr. Bid. /,13 (1916), pp. 12, figs. 5).— These estimates 

 are based on information obtained fi'om men who have had wide experience with 

 the class of live stock on which they have furnished information. In order to 

 eliminate everything except a.ge, the animals were assunio<l to be in perfect 

 health and to have a fixed value at a certain ago. The estimates for each breed 

 of dairy cattle were based on four classes of 3-year-olds, n.iniely, the $SO-grade 

 cow, the $100-grade cow, the $200 pure-bred cow, and the $300 pure-bretl cow. 

 The farm work horse was assumed to have a maximum value of $250 when in 

 his prime. 



It was found that for all breeds and for all classes of breeds, the prices of cows 

 in health is greatest between five and seven years with the maximum usually at 

 six years. Cows are valued about the same at four as at eight years. The 

 author's explanation is that although the younger animals have before them a 

 long period of usefulness the older ones have already demonstrated their work. 

 In all the estimates the 14-year-old values for pure-bred cows were much greater 

 than for grades. 



The farm work horse seems to reach his maximum value at some point be- 

 tween six and seven years of age. As compared with the values given for pure- 



