388 EXPEEIMENT STATION BECORD. 



Internal combustion motors in agriculture, Neumann et al. {Jahrb. Dent. 

 Landw. GeselL, 28 {WIS), No. 1, pp. 205-222, figs. 25).— This article deals with 

 the use in agricultural belt work of several types of small internal combustion 

 motors using gasoline, oil, and naphthalin as fuel. 



Curves showing the comparative costs of power per horsepower hour from 

 « various sizes of internal combustion motors and corresponding sizes of electric 

 motors indicate that electric power for small farm belt work is the cheaper only 

 when used a small number of working hours per year, while the cost of inter- 

 nal combustion power decreases gradually as the number of working hours per 

 year increases from 1,000 to 2,000. This condition exists up to 16 h. p. when 

 the curves show that steam power is a little cheaper than internal combustion 

 power at 2,000 working hours per year. The cost of these two is equal at 

 about 1,400 hours per year. 



Rural lighting and motor service near Noblesville, Ind. (Elect. World, 62 

 {1913), No. 15, pp. 749, 750, figs. 5). — This article calls attention to a rural 

 electric transmission system in Indiana supplying electric light and power to 

 100 strictly farm customers from a central station in a neighboring town. 

 The farm lines are operated at 2,200 volts, single phase service, and the com- 

 pany estimates that at least four customers must be served per mile to make 

 the line commercially profitable. The rates for service are 10 cts. per kilowatt 

 hour, subject to a 5 per cent discount, with a minimum quarterly rate of $1.50. 

 Each farmer furnishes his own equipment, including transformer and wiring, 

 poles, etc. from the main line. He also pays for a proportional share of the 

 main line which is repaid in service at the stated rates. 



Test of a nominal 10 h. p. benzin locomotive, J. Eezek (Mitt. Landw. 

 Lehrkanz. K. K. Hochsch. Bodenkul. Wien, 1 {1913), No. 3, pp. 407-409, pi. 1).— 

 A portable 4-cycle single cylinder internal combustion motor having a 180 mm. 

 (7 in.) bore and a 260 mm. (10 in.) stroke, rated at 10 h. p., was tested under 

 variable load and speed conditions using benzin as fuel. The fuel consumption. 

 per horsepower hour was in general found to decrease and the mechanical effi- 

 ciency was found to increase as the load increased up to the rated capacity. 

 Mechanical efficiencies of from 52 to 82 per cent were obtained. 



The economy of motor trucks with special reference to agricultural con- 

 ditions, E. JAENICHEN {Maschinen Ztg., 11 {1913), No. 17, pp. 201-209, figs. 8).— 

 Numerous data from actual experience with the use of motor trucks and horses 

 for agricultural transportation purposes demonstrate the superiority of the 

 former in both efficiency and economy. The data in all cases extend over a 

 year's work and include initial cost, depreciation, interest, and cost of opera- 

 tion. The high initial cost of the truck is offset by its overwhelming advan- 

 tages of speed, convenience of concentrated power, high loading capacity, and 

 indifference to weather conditions and fatigue. The initial cost and cost of 

 keeping a number of horses of power equivalent to the average truck, it is 

 stated, exceed the initial cost and cost of operation and maintenance of the 

 truck. 



The first "stock" motor plow in Africa, H. von Nathusius {Pflanzer, 9 

 {1913), No. 6, pp. 283-287, pis. 4). — Plowing tests were conducted in hard packed 

 sandy loam with a " stock " motor plow on which only 3 of the 6 shares were 

 used. The average speed was about 3.7 ft per second, the average depth of 

 furrow about 8.6 in., and the average width of furrow about 13 in. An average 

 of about 7.5 acres was plowed in 10 hours. The total cost per acre of the work, 

 including interest on the investment and depreciation, was about $4.35. Cost 

 figures from a year's work, using 3 and 4 shares, show a total average cost per 



