184 The Ottawa Naturalist. [December 



BOOK NOTICE. 



"Farm Weeds of Canada," by George H. Clark, B.S.A., and 

 James Fletcher, LL.D., F.R.S.C, F.L.S., with illustrations 

 by Norman Criddle: Dominion Department of Agriculture, 

 Branch of the Seed Commissioner. 



This long looked for, beautifully illustrated bulletin, quite 

 recently made its appearance. In his letter of transmittal to 

 the Honourable the Minister of Agriculture, Seed Commissioner 

 Clark draws attention to the enormous losses which are ever\' 

 year caused by noxious w^eeds, and mentions briefly some of 

 the many means by which they become disseminated. It is 

 pleasing to note that the three men who prepared this bulletin 

 are all active members of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club. 

 The text of the bulletin is written by Dr. James Fletcher, our 

 leading authority on the subject. In the introductory chapter 

 the importance is pointed out of knowing a weed when seen, 

 and calling it by its true name, not necessarily the botanical 

 name, but the name it is known by and written about in agricultural 

 publications. Under each botanical family the chief Canadian 

 weeds are treated of with remedies, and a coloured life-sized 

 plate is given of each. In all there are 56 plates, 51 of the most 

 important weeds, 1 showing three grasses attacked by ergot, 

 and 4 of the chief weed seeds found in commercial grains. On 

 these latter 4 plates, 80 weed seeds are shown in colours, at 

 natural size and enlarged so as to show each seed as it appears 

 under the ordinary pocket magnifying glass used by farmers 

 and seedsmen. The bulletin is beautifully printed and gotten 

 up, and much credit is due to all concerned in its preparation. 

 It will be of immense value to the farmers of Canada in acquaint- 

 ing them with the pernicious weeds on their farms and how to 

 eradicate them. To the botanist too it will be a welcome addition 

 to the literature. As a government publication it stands in a 

 class by itself, and is undoubtedly one of the very best contri- 

 butions on the subject which has vet appeared. 



A. G. 



