author
M. C. (Morris Cotgrave) Betts
1875–1936
An architect and agricultural engineer, he wrote practical guides that helped farmers improve buildings, farm layouts, and pest control in the early 20th century. His work turns everyday rural problems into clear, useful plans.
1 Audiobook
Rat Proofing Buildings and Premises
by James Silver, M. C. (Morris Cotgrave) Betts, W. E. (Winney Elmer) Crouch
About the author
Born in 1875, Morris Cotgrave Betts worked as an architect and later became connected with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's agricultural engineering work. Records and publications from the period identify him with practical building and planning projects, including farmstead design and the improvement of dairy barns.
Betts is best remembered as the author or co-author of straightforward technical books and bulletins such as Planning the Farmstead, Suggestions for the Improvement of Old Bank Dairy Barns, and Rat Proofing Buildings and Premises. These works focused on solving real problems through better design, safer construction, and efficient use of space.
He died in 1936. Though not a literary celebrity, his writing offers a clear window into how architecture, engineering, and agriculture came together to improve daily life on farms and in working buildings.