The Washington times., 1916-04-16

For a long time the economists have
been predicting that efficiency engineer
ing was about to take long leap from
the factories to the farms.
Still city folk, who know all about the
fine art of increasing production In the
Industries, retain a befuddled vision OF
an oaken bucket, a rickety barn where
the children play on rainy days
''hands" lettering about, and the scions
of the farmers family being sent out
to drive the cows home at eventide.
Probably a certain book was not print
ed for this purpose at all. but Just the
same 1t will make highly interesting
reading for some city folk some even
ing when the movies pail, and they
get to thinking about the higher cost OF
living. :,
The book in question. II 1t were to be
the subject OF review. would be
summed up in small type at the top of
the critics comment as follows:
Yearbook OF the Department OF ARri-
culture, 1915 by David Franklin Houston
and a score OF others, L. 4. Government
Printing Ofhce publishers. To be had
for the asking.
Uncle Sam has become a prolific pub
Usher OF volumes ranging from the abb
struse and polysyllabic monographs OF
the Smithsonian Institution % the frank
and helpful advice on the care OF IN
fants by the Chi!dren's Bureau
probably hone of his publications has
a wider reading. contains 10 much IN
Icresting information, and covers such
n vida field OF direct import to every
man. woman, and child In the country,
as this yearbook of the Department oi
| All icIIlturc. .
running through contributions or more
| than a score OF experts to the vol
ume lust issued and cooperative enter
rrises is special phase OF efficiency
which receives wide attention, rms
| long before hG reaches the paper on
''Jow Engineering May Help Farm
Life" by i. b. McC"rmicE' which
frankly states:
states are hcinE gradually put. either
| consciously or un consciously, on a basil
; similar to that existing, among manu-
| featuring organizations.
Outlines Trend.
Farther on In this paper s1r. McCor
mick outlines the trend IL this eteclcnc,
development as follows
1.-The economical and comprehensiv,
| use of ma chinery OF various types, thu
arrangement and grouping OF farm
buildings and structures. as we'll as tn
constr iction or individual buildings, thu
development OF natural resources 70
| furnishing rover. as a substitute 70
mani al and Animal labor now employee
nj considerable Inconvenience and cx
cessive ovC rhend cost, these are anont
tho various liEcs of activity In whicl
the srecinli7cd knowledge and expert
ence OF the engineer may lie highly use
full in connection with farming opera
tions."
There are special studies in varou
forms of cooperative EFFORT. includin
the cooperative purchase OF farm sup
plies, the story OF a successful coop
erative rural laundry. experiments l
cooperative retail stores, co-operatio
in marketing products. a co-operativ
dairy, cooperation In stamping out aG
ricultural pests and cattle diseases, an
the cooperative pig-raising. corn-grow
ing, and poultry farming clubs.
Not much of the book Is too techn
| cal to he enjoyed by the average cit
man who likes To know where the foo
nc cats comes from, and the avenue
by which II gets 10 him,
] " course. some chapters, like that Q