j 



290 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.43 



Stables, D. O. Berumen {Rev. Agr. [Mex.'\, 5 (1919), No. 1, pp. 42-46, figs. 

 5). — Mexican practice in the arrangement and construction of horse stables is 

 discussed. 



Measurement of stacks to find weight of contents, A. Macpherson (Neio 

 Zeal. Jour. Agr., 20 (1920), No. 2, pp. 115-111, figs. 3).— Instructions for the 

 measurement of hay stacks to determine their weight are given. 



Scientific methods of sewage disposal, W. G. Tucker (Building Age, 42 

 (1920), No. 4, pp. 33-36, figs. 5). — Descriptions are given of moderate cost in- 

 stallations suitable to the country home. 



Sewage disposal in the private home, H. E. Miller (Health Buh, 35 (1920), 

 No. 3, pp. 10-14, fius- 3).— The design and construction of small residential 

 sewage disposal systems are discussed. 



RURAL ECONOMICS. 



Rent contracts in typical countries of the wheat belt, E. A. Boegeb (U. S. 

 Dept. Agr. Bui. 850 (1920), pp. 13, fig. 1). — Material is presented here which was 

 gathered in the spring of 1917 by visiting tenants on their farms in Barton 

 County, Kans. ; Clay County, Nebr. ; Spink County, S. Dak. ; Barnes County, 

 N. Dak. ; and Renville County, Minn. Six distinct systems found are described, 

 and the comparative percentages of tenants who rent under each system in the i 

 different locations are tabulated. Certain minor factors concerned in renting 1 

 farms are given consideration, such as obtaining hay and pasture land, pastur- 

 ing wheat, the division of stalks and straw, distance to market, and value of 

 land and buildings. 



A preponderance of oral over written leases is noted and accounted for by 

 the large percentage of parent landlords. It is also noted that tenants on 

 farms for the first year were usually under written contract. The lease year 

 varies in different localities, depending principally on the time of sowing and 

 thrashing the main crop. From 60 to 86 per cent of the tenants in the locali- 

 ties visited preferred the long lease, and from 85 to 100 per cent preferred 

 share to cash renting. In only two of the localities, Kansas and South Dakota, 

 did a majority of the tenants think that they could become owners in their j 

 present localities within 15 years. From 85 to 96 per cent of the nonownersl 

 expect to own farms, if not in their present localities then in some place where ] 



land costs less. It is stated that tenancy in these regions will probably increase i 



\ 

 for some years yet. I 



The average size of the farms operated by tenants varied from 202 acres in ' 

 the Minnesota area to 489 acres in the North Dakota area. The income from 

 farms of this size is suflicient to encourage the owner to rent his land, while 

 tenants find it increasingly difficult to attain the status of owner and will 

 probably remain tenants for a longer period than has been the case in the past 



Agricultural war damages — a guide for their estimation (Dommages de 

 Guerre Agricoles. Paris: Agr. Maison Rustique [1919], pp. 63). — This handbook 

 offers a scale by which losses in various crops, fertilizers, live stock, harness, 

 tools, and certain raw materials incuri-ed between 1914 and 1919 may be esti- 

 mated. It is intended to serve as the basis for evaluating losses suffered and 

 amount of reparation due. 



Colonization projects, J. Yamandi (Rev. de Remstas [Buenos Aires'\, 2 

 (1919), No. 19, pp. 10-12). — In this article is outlined a tentative method of or- 

 ganizing a colonization company for Argentina, touching upon membership, 

 means of acquiring capital, administration, buying and selling the land, and 

 other details. 



