484 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Toxoplasma canis, W. L. Yakimoff and Nina Kohl-Yakimoff (Arch. Pro- 

 tistenk., 27 (1912), No. 2, pp. 195-206, pis. 2; abs. in Trop. Vet. Bui., 1 (1913), 

 No. 3, pp. 175-177). — A report of studies of this parasite, including experimental 

 inoculations. 



The parasites of the muskrat, F. D. Barker (Science, n. ser., 37 (1913), 

 No. D.'iB, p. 268). — An examination of 27 muskrats trapped along the Loup River. 

 Nebraska, resulted in the finding of more than 600 parasites, representing 7 

 species of trematodes, 1 species of cestode, and 2 species of nematodes. See 

 also a previous note (E. S. R., 27, p. 52). 



The effects of commercial compounds of iodin in spirochetosis of fowls, 

 T. Messekschmidt (Ztschr. Immunitatsf. u. Expt. Ther., I, Orig., 15 (1912), 

 No. 2-3, pp. 293-302). — Sodium sozoiodolate was the only one of the prepara- 

 tions employed by the author which had a beneficial effect. 



RURAL ENGINEERING. 



Agricultural engineering, J. B. Davidson (St. Paul, Minn., 1913, pp. 554, 

 figs. 3-'i3). — This book is a comprehensive treatise of the subject, in which its 

 various branches are discussed under the following heads : Agricultural survey- 

 ing, drainage, irrigation, roads, farm machinery, farm motors, farm structures, 

 farm sanitation, and rope work. 



Irrigation investigations, G. E. P. Smith and F. C. Kelton (Arizona 8ta. 

 Rpt.1912, pp. 707-714, flg. i). — The investigations in Sulphur Spring Valley Indi- 

 cate that with an average rainfall, such as occurred during the last 3 years, 

 supplementary irrigation is required to produce profitable dry farm crops. This 

 can be accomplished by storing storm waters or by pumping from wells, and irri- 

 gation for intensive farming and for alfalfa is possible within certain areas 

 by pumping. Rainfall records indicate that the rainfall increases rapidly 

 with altitude so that the water supply of this valley is in a large measure de- 

 pendent upon surface flow from the surrounding mountain canyons. Ground 

 water studies in the valley south of the Pearce Hills indicate that irrigation 

 water is available by both deep and shallow pumping. It is stated that the 

 caisson curb of reenforced concrete is adapted for developing the shallow wells 

 of the valley and the equipment for building and sinking such curbs is described. 



From a study of the use of windmills for irrigation pumping the following 

 conclusions are drawn : The galvanized steel windmill is much preferable to the 

 wooden mill. Towers may be of wood if the cost is much reduced thereby, 

 though 3-post steel towers are better. Back-geared mills should be used for all 

 bizes up to 16 ft. Larger sizes may be direct stroke. Where ground water is 

 shallow and the cost of wells is slight it is better to use 2 or more small mills 

 than one larger one, since the cost of windmills increases with the size much 

 faster than does the power. Windmills for house service should be lightly 

 loaded, but for irrigation they should be heavily loaded so that they will utilize 

 strong winds though they stand idle in light breezes. Small earth reservoirs 

 are desirable in connection with windmills. 



An examination of the small artesian area at Bear Springs in Graham County 

 indicates that the wells of this area appear to be in fairly good pervious mate- 

 rial, but the pressure head is not enough to bring the water much higher than 

 the ground surface along the fault-line. In an experiment made to determine 

 the effect of increasing the artesian head the yield of one of the wells was in- 

 creased from 11 gal. to 20 gal. per nilinite by digging a trench to it so that the 

 outlet was lowered 64 ft. A tunnel was then run from an adjacent arroyo, tap- 

 ping the well at a depth of 23 ft., which increased the discharge to 65 gal. per 

 jninute, This suggests the practicability of drilling larger wells, freeing them 



