269 
Plants and their Childyen, By Mrs. William Starr Dana. Illus- 
trated by Alice Josephine Smith. Pp. 272. American Book 
Company, 1896. 
The author presents in a popular form the study of plant life 
so as to bring it within the comprehension and adapt it to the 
tastes of a child. 
An appreciation of the psychologic truth, 
of childhood” is shown by the attention accorded to the special 
contrivances and mechanisms by which insects are trapped and 
attracted, and seeds disseminated. Vital processes, similar to 
those in the child’s experience such as sleep, respiration and cir- 
culation are simply and clearly treated. Several cuts, reproduced 
from the Natural History of Plants, translated from the German of 
Kerner von Marilaun, add to the general attractiveness of the 
book, which might profitably be used at times as a reader to sup- 
Plement the work of a class studying botany. 
Mi Ad: 
“activity is the law 
Proceedings of the Club. 
WepneEspay Eventnc, March 31, 1897. 
In the absence of the President, Vice-President Allen presided. 
There were twenty persons present. 
The first paper, by Dr. Albert Schneider, “The Phenomena of 
Symbiosis,” and a paper by Leonard Baron on “ Horticulture in 
Botanical Gardens,” were read by title, owing to unavoidable 
detentions. 
The evening was occupied by a paper by Professor Edward S. 
Burgess on “ Aster macrophyllus and its Allies,” illustrated by 
charts of relationship and by numerous specimens. 
The speaker sketched briefly the history of the species Aster 
macrophyllus, in which it has been the custom of American 
botanists to include all large-leaved Asters. He showed how di- 
verse these Asvers are and in what confusion their assignment to a 
Single species results, and indicated the characters according to 
which they form two groups each of several species and varieties. 
The paper which will soon appear in print, was discussed by 
