AGRICULTURAL. EDUCATION, 593 



The insurance against accidents at agricultural labor, C. M. Mazzini (Atti 

 R. Accad. Econ. Agr. Geory. Firenzc, 5. ser., 7 {1910), No. 3, pp. 254-271). — 

 This article gives a historical review of agitation in Italy for workmen's insur- 

 ance against accidents and for the extension of its benefits to agrcultural 

 laborers, including an account of recent legislative efforts in this direction. 



The difficulties surrounding the problem from the legislative and economic 

 points of view are presented, particularly the fact of the large number of 

 small proprietors in Italy, more than two millions of whom would be excluded 

 from the benefits of insurance against accident if the law contemplated by the 

 government should be passed. The author, in view of the evidence presented, 

 makes three suggestions for improving the proposed law, these relating to the 

 fixing and establishing of premium rates according to the amount of land tax 

 paid by small holders, the control of the funds by the national bank, and the 

 triennial regulation of premium rates according to the results secured through 

 the operation of the law during the preceding 3-year period. 



Agricultural statistics. — Chattel mortgages, J. S. Duff (Aivn. Rpt. Bur. 

 Indus. Ontario, 1909, pp. ^7). — Statistics are given and discussed on the 

 acreage, yields, and market prices of field crops, live stock and dairy produc- 

 tion, farm labor and wages, meteorological data, areas assessed in the county 

 municipalities, values of farm property, implements, and live stock, and the 

 value of chattel mortgages both against all occupations and against farmers 

 on record and undischarged in the Province of Ontario, on December 31, 1900. 



There was a sufficiency of farm labor in general, though in some localities a 

 scarcity was reported. Wages ranged from $15 to $35 a month and from $1 to 

 $2 a day during harvest with board, according to the experience and ability of 

 the man. Many native-born farm hands during the year went west and most of 

 the immigrants taking their places proved failures. The domestic servant ques- 

 tion on farms has also not yet found a satisfactory answer. 



The number of farm mortgages was 6,816 to secure existing debts amounting 

 to $2,730,119, as compared with 7,098 and $2,768,786, respectively, the preced- 

 ing year (E. S. K., 22, p. 193). 



The cereal harvest in the northern hemisphere, U. Ricci {Internat. Inst. 

 Agr. [Rotne], Bill. Agr. Statis., 1 (1910), No. 11, pp. 111-122).— Statistics of 

 areas under cultivation and yields of wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, and rice for 

 the years 1909 and 1910 are presented and discussed in this bulletin. 



Annual review of the grain trade, G. J. S. Broomhall (Liverpool, 1910, pp. 

 III+102). — This volume presents and discusses the statistics of production, 

 imports, and exports of wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye, and rice by the chief 

 grain producing and grain consuming countries for the years 1903 to 1910, 

 inclusive. For some countries similar data are given for flour, potatoes, beans, 

 peas, linseed, oilcake, and other farm products. 



AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



Agricultural instruction in the public high schools of the United States, 

 C. H. RoBisoN (Thesis, Columhia Univ.. 1910, pp. 202, map 1). — This is a 

 thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of 

 doctor of philosophy at Columbia University. The investigation was made 

 while the author was a collaborator of this Office, and involved the collection of 

 data by correspondence, by the examination of catalogues, reports, and other 

 printed material, including many of the publications of the Office and of the 

 U. S. Bureau of Education, and by personal visits to schools and conferences 

 with school men. It comprises the most comprehensive study of high school 

 instruction in agriculture that has been made in this country. 



