Book Reviews; Additions to the library, June, 1918;

              Bulletin HASKINS & SELLS 43
Book Reviews
Davis, A. E . How to Find Costs in
Printing. (New York. Oswald Publish­ing
Company. 1914. 120 p.)
In the matter of cost literature, certain
writers have laid down the principles of cost
and cost accounting. It remains for books
like the above to show the application to the
various industries. While it is not a new
book it is so little known that for practical
purposes it might be so considered.
It is surprising how much matter is com­pressed
into the few pages. Very little of
real interest has been omitted. The forms
are numerous and excellent. The first chap­ter
is entitled "Why Every Printer Should
Use a Cost System." All the features and
uses of a cost system are discussed in the
eleven chapters which follow. The last
chapter on "Analyzing Unsatisfactory Jobs"
is very interesting as well as instructive.
Gillette, H . P. Handbook of Cost Data.
Edition 2. (New York. McGraw-Hill
Book Company, Inc., 1910. Revised 1918.
1854 p.)
Had this been a book of cost statistics it
would not long have survived the upward
trend of prices which has been going on
practically since the first edition of the book
was issued in 1905. As the author points
out in the preface to the present edition—
"This is not a price book; it is a cost data
book. Prices are more or less ephemeral
and local, whereas costs may be so presented
as to be long lived and national." In other
words, prices may vary, but the quantities
of material and labor remain constant un­der
standard conditions, thereby making it
possible to substitute current prices and
obtain new costs.
The book is in effect an encyclopedia of
those facts which may be expressed numeri­cally.
It should be used as a reference
book. The data relates to—Earth excava­tion,
rock excavation, roads, pavements and
walks, stone masonry, concrete and rein­forced
concrete construction, water works,
sewers, timberwork, buildings, railways,
bridges and culverts, steel and iron con­struction.
The author, being an engineer, makes a
sorry exposition of the differences between
cost keeping and bookkeeping. This part
of the book is not to be recommended to the
person with an immature mind.
Tiffany, H . S. Digest of Depreciations.
(Chicago. H. S. Tiffany & Co. [c1890]
76 p.)
A difficult book to obtain but a valuable
one to have; meaning that it is published by
the author's company which appears to have
lapsed into obscurity, i f indeed it were ever
well known, but that it contains a lot of
information relating to the life of physical
property.
Sources of information as to the life of
property are difficult to find. The informa­tion
is principally in the files of appraisers
with whom it constitutes a stock in trade.
They are therefore loath to part with it.
Tables compiled from actual experience are
rare indeed. It is in this respect that Tif­fany's
book serves.
The annual rates of depreciation are
given for buildings of all kinds, machinery