Vol. I. No. IS. 



THE AGUICULTUIUL NEWS. 



283 



PHYSICAL GEOGliM'llY. I'.y Margery A. Itekl, 

 Pi.Sc. Alliiiin d; Son, Ltd. Lowloii. Price 3s. Od. 



Tlie authoress states that she has tried in this book to 

 treat tlie subject of Physical Geograiihy as based on ob.serva- 

 tiou, ratlier than ex|)erinient. The book should jiiove useful 

 to teachers and others who are dealing with the elementary 

 parts of the subject. 



The form and rotation of the earth is discussed and the 

 chief facts from which we derive our knowledge of the shajie 

 and Tuovenients of the eartli given, and tlieir bearing 

 explained. The apparent movements of the sun and the 

 movements and changes of the moo;i are treated in the same 

 way. Then follows an account of the atmosphere, its 

 composition, temperature, pressure, moisture and movements. 

 Four chapters are devoted to the sea, ti'eating of its dejith, 

 deposits and movements. 



We the)i have a short account of the formation and 

 breaking down of rocks ; the chief agents in the elevation 

 and wearing down of rocks are enumerated an<l their action 

 exi)lained and dlustrated. 



The later cha[iters contain .short accounts of the 

 distrilintiou of jilants, animals and poimlation, and we find 

 the chief factors bearing on distribution stated and explained 

 and tlieir mode of action worked out. 



Finally, we have a short chapiter on the geograjihical and 

 other changes which have occurred during geological time. 



THE UX I VERSE. By F. A. Pouchet. Itevised and 

 edited by Professor J. It. Ainsworth Davis, lilarlif <£■ .SVj«, 

 IWhL Ldiiihm. Price 7f. 6d. 



Ponchet's t'/t/wc/'.sc has been .so lo;ig known to natnr.dists 

 that it seems almost sui)ertluous to give any account of its 

 contents. The subject-matter is very wide, co\ering the 

 jinimal kingdom, vegetable kingdom, geology, the a'r, the 

 .sidereal universe and an account of monsters and supersti- 

 tions. 



The jire.sent edition, which is attractively bound, jirinted 

 and illustrated, has been revi-sed and brought up to date by 

 Profe.s.sor Ainsworth Davis. The text, however, has been 

 interfered with as little as possible, .so that the book has lost 

 none of the charms of its style. 



It would be hard to find a book which would better 

 arouse in children an interest in, and a love for, the study 

 of nature. 



Lectures to Teachers at Barbados. 



The second lecture to the elementary school teachers of 

 Barbados at the Bridgetown centre on the manner and method 

 ■of teaching agriculture by means of object less(.>ns, was delivered 

 4it Harrison College on December C, by Dr. Longtield .Smith. 

 Thirty-six teachers attended. The ditferences between the 

 various kinds of natural waters, the solvent jiower of water, 

 the formation of clouds, dew, rain and river.s, the boiling point, 



boiling under reduced pressure a:id its application to the 

 manufacture of sugar, the ex))ansion and contraction of water 

 by heat and cold, the point of greatest density of water, were 

 all explained, and illustrated by simple exjieriments. The 

 chemical composition of water and the jirejiaration and jiro 

 perties of hydrogen and oxygen were demonstrated. 



At the close of the lecture, cjclostyle notes were dis- 

 tributed to each teacher. A similar lecture was delivered at 

 the St. Peter's centre on Deeenilier \'i\. The lecture was 

 attended by eighteen teachers and by several ladies and 

 gentlemen of the parish interested in the subject. 



VALUE OF A HERBARIUM. 



In a recent i.ssue we (juoted iVom Bnfiin r.i n;/, 

 Prof. W. W. Bailey's ])raetical book ihv field botanists, 

 an extract on the usefulness of Botanic CJavdens. The 

 following nppri'ciation of a Herbarium, from the pen 

 of the same author, forms an inteiesting sujiplcment: — 



But let us consider a little more clo.sely the uses of a 

 herl)arium and of a botanic garden. 



In regard to the former it is to be said that much of the 

 systematist's work is of necessity upon dried plants. These 

 he soaks in warm water, which in a measure restores the 

 contours and softens the tissues so that tliey can be examined. 

 A botanist could not by any chance visit all countries nor 

 even every part of his own, but in the herbarium he can have 

 all or a large part of the jilants of any given region expo.sed 

 in their natural secjuence, or what science at the time 

 considers such. Plants even of one family or genus are not 

 all simultaneously in flower or fruit, but in the herliarium all 

 parts can be thus viewed. The natural attinities and 

 geographical and altitudinal distribution can be learned in no 

 other way, though closet work must need suiiplement more 

 direct field observation. 



Again, the herbarium is a cyclop.edia of ultimate ajipeal. 

 To it the student in doubt may appeal as to an authority. 

 At lea.st he will as?ertain what the~ best investigators have 

 thought. Hence a fine jadjlic herbarium is .something to be 

 amassed and cherished. 



A botanic garden is almost equally important. Therein 

 l)lants .should be arranged as nearly as possilde liy their 

 natural affinitie.s, well and clearly klielled, so that all may- 

 learn them. Many horticultural experiments can here be 

 tried. Moreover, the garden should, like that of Kew, be a 

 centre of dissemination lioth of know-ledge and useful 

 [iroducts. It should at all times be ojieu to the jiublic and 

 hence become a i>ark of most delightful and varied 

 usefulness. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



Pr. D. Morri.s, C.M.CJ., the Covjimissioner of Agri- 

 culture for the West Indies, touched at Barbados on the 

 Kith, instant on board the .s'..s'. Dnhtmie en route to St. 

 Vincent, Grenada and Trinidad. During the last month 

 Dr. Morris has been engaged in visiting the Stations 

 and Schools of the Department at St. Kitt's, Antigua, 

 ]\[ontserrat, Doininiai and St. Lucia. He has also 

 delivered addres.ses to the Agi-icultural Societies at 

 Antigua, Montsorrat and Dominica and, on December 12, 

 attended an important meeting of the St. Lucia 

 Agricultural Society. 



It is probable that Dr. Morris will return to Bar- 

 bados about the eml of the present month. 



