HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP, 



157 



most important chapter on marriage and its develop- 

 ment, showing the gradual evolution, in the course of 

 time, of the relationship betvi'een the sexes from a 

 practically brutal condition to the pure and home- 

 founding life which the best marriages of our time are 



(London : Roper & Drowley). We possess a good 

 many works upon economic botany of more or less 

 scientific value ; but for compactness, accuracy, and 

 usefulness, we know of none to equal Professor 

 Boulger's manual. Of late years botany has been 

 almost entirely devoted to histological details and 

 classification, so that it is almost refreshing to cut 

 the page of a new book which puts these matters 

 aside and deals with the uses of plants. Mr. 

 Boulger has arranged his matter in an easily 

 understood and easily remembered form. Thus 

 his Introduction is occupied with the history and 

 progress of economic botany during the last half- 

 century, and it forms an exceedingly readable 

 chapter. In Part I., where food-stuffs and food- 

 adjuncts are discussed, we have sections devoted 

 to starches, sugars, pulse, roots and tubers, vege- 

 tables, fruits, and nuts. The food-adjuncts include 

 alcohols, condiments, flavourers, and alkaloids. 

 Part II., on Materia Medica, will prove exceed- 

 ingly useful to those preparing for either medical 

 or pharmaceutical examinations. Afterwards come 



Fig. 109. — Jlonkey-nuts {Arachis hypogaa]. From Patterson's 

 " Notes on Pet Monkeys." 



the foundations of. The last chapter in this very 

 interesting work is devoted to the family, clan, and 

 the tribe, in which we find the primitive state of 

 mankind gradually developing into the political life 

 of to-day. 



The Uses of Plants, by Professor G. S. Boulger 



Vffs^ 



Fig. 110.— Pole and Barrel for Monltey. From Patterson's 

 " Notes on Pet Monkeys." 



chapters on the following subjects :— Oils and oil- 

 seeds, gums and resins, dyes and tanning materials, 

 fibres and paper materials, timbers, agricultural plants, 

 miscellaneous products, &c. To add to the value of 

 this very practical and useful volume we have also a 

 copious synoptical index and general index. We 



