890 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 43 



Report of the State commissioner of highways for the year ending De- 

 cember 31, 1918, E. DuFFEY (Rpt. State Commr. Highways, N. Y., 1918, pp. 

 580, pis. 8). — Tliis report contains data on the work and expenditures of the 

 New York State Highway Commission for the year ended December 31, 1918. 



Thirteenth annual report of the State highway commissioner to tlie 

 governor of Virginia, G. P. Coleman {Ann. Rpt. State High nay Commr. Ya., 

 13 {1919), pp. 60). — Tlie work and expenditures of the Virginia State Highway 

 Commission on road construction and maintenance in the State for the year 

 ended September 30, 1919, are reported. 



Road transport by steam veliicles, P. W. Robson {Surveyor and Munic. and 

 County Engin., 58 {1920). No. 11,89, pp. 81, 82, fig. i).— The results of investiga- 

 tions into the actual running costs of various types of steam and gas motor 

 vehicles operating on road transportation work in England are reported, to- 

 gether with an analysis of total costs. The figures analyzed represent in the 

 aggregate 15,000,000 ton-miles hauled. The capacities of the vehicles examined 

 varied between 3 and 6 tons. 



It was found that the steam motor vehicle is the most economical and re- 

 liable form of road transportation. 



Engine design for maximum power and economy of fuel, C. A. Norman 

 {Jour. Sac. Automotive Engin., 7 {1920), No. 2, pp. 182-185, figs. 2).— This 

 paper, a contribution from Ohio State University, deals with the subject merely 

 from the thermodynamic standpoint and develops graphic data on the influence 

 of the air-to-fuel ratio upon power developed and fuel consumption. 



Intake-manifold temperatures and fuel economy, W. S. James, H. C. 

 Dickinson, and S. W. Sparrow {.Jour. Soc. Automotive Engin., 7 (1920), No. 2, 

 pp. lSl-136, figs. 11). — Experiments conducted at the U. S. Bureau of Standards 

 are reported, which showed that (1) at constant speed, mixture ratio, and 

 power output the fuel consumption in pounds per brake-horsepower-hour is in- 

 dependent of the temperatures and methods of heating the intake charge within 

 the range tested, and (2) the rate at which an engine will accelerate with a 

 given mixture ratio or carburetor setting is markedly affected by the amount 

 of heat supplied and its method of application. Within the limits of this work, 

 the greater the amount of heat supplied to the charge and the higher its tem- 

 perature at the intake port, the more rapidly the engine will accelerate. 



Saving fuel with the carbureter, W. E. Lay {Jour. Soc. Automotive Engin., 

 7 {1920), No. 2, pp. 188. 189, figs. 2). — Experiments conducted at the University 

 of Michigan on the effect of varying mixture ratios on the thermal efficiency 

 and torque of an engine operating under different conditions of speed, power out- 

 put, and temperature of the fuel-intake system are reported. 



The object of the first series was to determine whether the mixture giving 

 the best economy and that giving the greatest power is a constant quantity for 

 all conditions of speed and power output of the engine at quarter, half, three- 

 quarters, and full load. It was found that the mixture giving the greatest 

 power was very different from that giving the best economy. The engine used 

 approximately 25 per cent more gasoline per brake-horsepower-hour when run- 

 ning on the mixture giving the greatest power output than on the most 

 economical mixture. The mixture giving the maximum economy became some- 

 what leaner as the power output was increased. 



The object of the second series of tests was to determine what effect changes 

 in the temperature of the fuel-intake system have on the quality of the mixture 

 which gives the maximum power and on that giving the best economy. It was 

 found that over the temperature range investigated an increase in the car- 

 bureter-intake temperature caused an increase in the thermal eflSciency. The 



