Agricultur. — Horticultur, — Forstbotanik. 317 



It is estimated that at the present time about 13 000 acres are under 

 cultivation in tlie neuer seedling canes in British Guiana, the canes 

 most favoured by planters being D. 109, B. 147, D. 145, D. 625, B. 208. 

 The increasing popiilarity ot seedling canes is indicated by the steady 

 increase in acreage given to them each year, the totals of the detailed 

 figures being 



1901—02 4.329 acres seedling canes, 



1902—03 6.321 „ 



1903-04 9.285 „ „ ;, 



1904—05 12.942 „ „ „ 



One great practical advantage oi the seedling canes is that many 

 give good returns on lands where the Bourbon will not now thrive. 



The concluding portion of the paper deals with the results of 

 manurial experinients. W. G. Freeman. 



Odlum, George S., The Culture of Tobacco. 1905. p. 1 

 — 185. I British South Africa Company, 2 London Wall 

 Buildings, London E. C.) 



The author is a member of the Department of Agriculture, Sou- 

 thern Rhodesia and the volume is mainly based on an investigation 

 into the tobacco industry of America made with the object of advan- 

 cing the production of tobacco in Rhodesia. It would be useless to 

 attempt to summarize here the Information given in the book, comprising 

 as it does a brief historical and botanical account of the tobacco plant 

 and varieties, Classification of tobaccos, with the kinds called for in 

 different countries ; detailed direction for the cultivation and curing of the 

 crop; insect pests, fungoid and other diseases; growth and selection of 

 tobacco seed; cost of production and returns etc. etc. 



The appendix contains a mass of information of great interest, 

 mainly reproduced from American publications, including: Meteorological 

 conditions in the great tobacco regions; Analyses of tobacco soils and 

 subsoils ; percentage of nicotine in the principal varieties of American 

 tobacco; relative combustibility of the leading types of tobacco; descrip- 

 tion of tobacco grown in different parts of the United States. 



The book is copiously illustrated and contains coloured plates of 

 the leaves of typical varieties of tobacco. W. G. Freeman. 



Smith, F. B., Annual Report on the Transvaal Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 1903—04. p. 1—404. With 31 maps 

 and illustrations. 1905.) 



The volume contains the report of the Director and of the Chiefs 

 of the various divisions of the Department including those of the 

 Agrostologist and Botanist, the Conservator of Forests, the Horticulturist, 

 the Managers of the Experimental Farms and a report on School Gardens. 

 The Director's report reviews generally the Organization, and the more 

 important subjects which have engaged the attention of the Department. 



In the division of Botany (Mr. T. Burtt-Davy) the work of plant 

 introduction, and experiments with native and introduced forage crops 

 has been actively prosecuted, the objects sought being: 



1. To produce a forage crop which will remain green and continue 

 to give good nutritious grazing throughout the winter on dry 

 land. 



2. Failing this, to grow as heavy a crop as possible during the 

 rainy summer season, of nutritious and palatable forage for use 

 in winter preserved as hay or silage. 



3. To improve the quality and yield of summer forage on the un- 

 broken veld, particularly that of the Sour (Zuur) veld. 



The results of these experiments are summarized, and illustrations 

 are given of some of the more important plants. 



