THK PI.ANT WORLD 295 



Book Reviews. 



Principles of American Forestry. By Saymiel B. Green. 12 mo, 

 pp. xiii+334, illustrated. New York : John Wiley & Sous, 1903. 

 Price, $1.50. 



This is an eminently practical book, adapted to the needs of the 

 student of forestry and to the general reader as well. It presents a com- 

 prehensive survey of the cardinal principles of the science of forestry, and 

 the various operations are described in plain and terse paragraphs. Ivists 

 of trees adapted for various purposes are given, tables and directions for 

 measurement of standing timber, and much additional information. A 

 unique and valuable feature of the book is the portion devoted to ques- 

 tions and answers concerning forest management, the cases detailed 

 covering almost every possible contingency of soil, situation, or require- 

 ment. There are many excellent illustrations. The author is well 

 known as the professor of horticulture and forestry in the University of 

 Minnesota, and the book seems to have been written with especial atten- 

 tion to the students of this subject in the Northwest, although it is well 

 adapted to the whole country. c. L. p. 



Ferns. A Manual for the Northeastern States, with Analyt- 

 ical Keys Based on the Stalks and on the Fructification. 

 By Campbell E. Waters. New York : Henry Holt & Co. 1903. 

 Considering the number of popular works on ferns and their general 

 high character, a new aspirant for favor must of necessity possess sterling 

 merit, but as one turns the pages of Dr. Waters 's Ferns it needs but little 

 inspection to prove that he has not only measured up to the standard, but 

 set an even higher one. In fact, in the opinion of the reviewer, it is in 

 every way an ideal book, and presents the subject in a thoroughly digni- 

 fied and attractive manner. It does not represent that extreme of 

 attempted "popularity" which eschews all scientific language, nor on 

 the other hand is it so technical as to repel the chance observer ; but as 

 another reviewer has put it, it occupies a dignified middle ground. In 

 the matter of nomenclature, too, it is refreshing, for while it is conserv- 

 ative enough, its pages are not marred by invective against the so-called 

 reform movement. Beginning with a short chapter on reproduction, it 

 passes to the subject of classification, which is followed by two distinct 

 keys, one of which is based on the usual point characters and the other 

 on the structure of the stalks, the latter a field first exploited by the 

 author. Then follows the body of the work devoted to the species found 



