100 The Plant World. 



scientific value, but are presented in a style so interesting and 

 so perspicuous as to make it a most readable book. The plates 

 are in part reproductions of photographs, mostly taken by the 

 author, and include a series illustrating the effects of wind in 

 modifying tree forms, which is of unusual interest. Other plates 

 are from drawings of uniform excellence. Two maps show the 

 locations respectively of the northern and the southern groves 

 of Big Trees, while the third, of the whole state, is designed with 

 reference to the physical features which are of importance in 

 influencing plant distribution. 



The author defines the leading object of this memoir to be 

 the presentation of what is now known concerning the taxonomy 

 and the distribution, both geographical and ecological, of the 

 trees of the state. In addition, he discusses the biology, the 

 habits, the uses and the history of all but the less important 

 species. The systematic part of the work is preceded by chapters 

 on the physiographical distribution and the dendrological 

 characteristics of the California trees. He divides the state into 

 five forest provinces: The Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, 

 the South Coast Ranges, the North Coast Ranges, (the last two 

 divided by San Francisco Bay), the Sierra Nevada, and South- 

 ern California. The forest features of each of these provinces are 

 fully described, and referred to the physical conformations and 

 other causes to which they are due. Their relation to Merriam's 

 life zones is also considered, and a "census table" is given show- 

 ing the distribution of each species in the five forest provinces. 

 In this connection it is interesting to note that the Southern 

 California province, a region less adapted than any of the others 

 to forest growth, is credited with 57 species, out of a total for 

 the state of 92, only two less than occur in the North Coast 

 province, which has naturally the largest number of all; and that 

 all of the five leguminous trees of the state are restricted to the 

 deserts. The "typically Californian" species are 49 in number, 

 and 18 are strictly peculiar to the state. Only two trees, the 

 Aspen and the Black Willow, are common to California and to 

 the eastern states. 



Under the head of Arboreal Characteristics the author 

 treats of leaf variation, regeneration and seed production, wind 

 influences, nanism and other topics. A table is given showing 



