1911] Fernald,— Book Review 213 
HARSHBERGER’S PHYTOGEOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF 
NORTH AMERICA. 
M. L. FERNALD. 
WHEN it was announced that a great series of monographs upon 
geographic botany was to be issued under the editorship of Engler 
and Drude botanists felt that, with so distinguished a taxonomist as 
Engler and so experienced a phytogeographer as Drude standing as 
sponsors, a series of authoritative works might be expected which 
would be not merely encyclopedias of accurate information but 
valuable treatises upon plant distribution. Several volumes already 
issued are apparently satisfactory fulfilments of this hope; and now 
comes the volume upon the flora of North America by Professor 
Harshberger.! In appearance the work is like others of the series, 
a sumptuous book with excellent paper and type and numerous 
illustrations, filling in all 790 pages besides 12 pages of the ordinary 
introductory matter and a 50 page “German Extract” by Drude. 
The main portion of the volume consists of four parts: “ History and 
Literature of the Botanic Works and Explorations of the North 
American Continent"; “Geographic, Climatic and Floristic Survey,” 
“Geologic Evolution, Theoretic Considerations and Statistics of the 
Distribution of North American Plants”; “North American Phyto- 
geographic Regions, Formations, Associations.” 
That the author approached his task seriously and felt himself 
called to it is shown by the remarks in his preface where he states, 
that he, “at the suggestion of the editors of ‘ Die Vegetation der Erde,’ 
undertook ten years ago to write a sketch of the Vegetation of North 
America, and this volume is'the outcome of the study of American 
vegetation, begun over twenty years ago.” This study has resulted, 
we are told, in a “ work which the author has spared no pains to make 
as accurate, as the existing state of information and the unfortunate 
confusion in nomenclature would permit.” In other words, the book 
represents the most accurate work which the author is capable of 
producing. Whether it is of the grade of work which American 
botanists should demand or by which we wish our European con- 
temporaries to judge us can be seen only by an examination of some 
portions in detail; and since the author states that “no one region 
1 Engler and Drude: Die Vegetation der Erde, xiii. Phytogeographic Survey of 
North America. A Consideration of the Phytogeography of the North American 
Continent, including Mexico, Central America and the West Indies, together with the 
Evolution of North American Plant Distribution by John W. Harshberger, A. B., 
B. S., Ph.D. Leipzig (Wilhelm Engelmann), 1911. Large 8vo. pp. lxiii + 790, 1 
map, 18 plates, 32 figs. Price unbound, 52 marks (Subscription price 40 M.); 
bound, 53.50 M. (Subscription price 41.50 M.). 
