RURAL ECONOMICS. 



793 



ing and heating by acetylene are discussed briefly. The design of a complete 

 installation is worked out in detail, with cost data, and village and town light- 

 ing systems are briefly discussed. An appendix contains the results of tests 

 made by the station, a schedule of pipe sizes, and a table of dimensions and 

 costs of acetylene generators, together with the list of generators approved by 

 the National Board of Fire Underwriters. 



The estimates for a country home which are presented are $283.40 for instal- 

 lation of the plant with a total yearly cost of $66.81 for maintenance. Esti- 

 mates of about $225 for a cheaper installation, and $47.75 per year for its 

 maintainance, ai'e also given. 



Acetylene g'as as fuel for a domestic science kitchen, Joan Hamilton 

 {Jour. Home Econ., 2 {1910), No. 6, pp. 654, 655).— A brief account is given of 

 the installation and use of acetylene gas as a part of the equipment for domestic 

 science work in schools. According to the author acetylene gas has proved 

 satisfactory. 



RTJKAL ECONOMICS. 



Agricultural survey of four townships in southern New Hampshire, E. H. 

 Thomson {U. 8. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Circ. 75, pp. 19, figs. 3). — This 

 circular gives the results of an agricultural survey of 4 townships in southern 

 New Hampshire made for the purpose of determining the relative condition of 

 farms in the region, the prevailing types of farming, and the profitableness of 

 these types for that section. The information was obtained by a personal visit 

 to each farmer within a certain area. Tables are given to show the average 

 areas, capital, receipts, expenses, and profits for 266 farms; the distribution of 

 the investment of capital, the distribution of profits in relation to the capital 

 invested, and the average distribution of expenses. The data are summarized 

 below : 



Average area, capital, receipts, expenses, and profits for 266 New Hampshire 

 farms, classified by types of farming. 



Items covered by survey. 



Average 



(266 

 farms). 



Area acres. 



Tillable area acres. 



Capital invested 



Receipts 



Expenses, including unpaid family labor 



Intprest at 5 per cent 



Labor income 



Profit on investment per cent. 



108.0 



31.9 



85,350 



1,682 



978 



267 



337 



5.7 



It is noted that " the average farmer in these 4 towns receives $1.07 per day, 

 his house rent, and what the farm produces toward his own living," and " has 

 practically three-fourths of his capital in real estate, including permanent 

 improvements, and one-fourth in equipment," while nearly one-third of the 

 farmers in the territory investigated " receive an income insuflicient to pay 5 

 per cent on the capital invested, to say nothing for additional pay for their own 

 time and labor." 



The farmer as a business manager, D. H. Otis {Farmers Voice, 49 {1911), 

 No. 115, pp. 8, 13, 15, 29). — This is an address before a convention of farmers 

 which reports and discusses the results of a special investigation of 20 dairy 

 farms in Wisconsin comparing investment, exi>enses, receipts and net profits, 

 taking (a) 10 farmers at random, largely in one county, but regardless of any 



