r H E A M 1-: R I C A N Hi ) T A N I ST 1 1 3 



of lii.s plant; he also gets a working knowledge of the struc- 

 ture ami relationship of the whole plant world and acquires 

 the ability of identifying unknown species with rapitlity and 



THE LIFE OF A BOOK 



A hook i> in inaii)' ways like a i)lant. it a[)pears, fresh and 

 ■^^ vigorous runs through a life-cycle of varying length and 

 finally dies and disappears or perchance becomes a fossil on 

 the shelves o\ the second-hand dealer. One unaccustomed to 

 the methods of publishers is apt to regard a book somewhat 

 as he does a loaf of bread, to be had at almost any time and 

 anywhere upon demand, but books are not produced in that 

 way. They appear in editions which might be likened to a 

 crop of plants. .\ book-crop may yield 500 or 1000 vol- 

 umes and when these are used up no more are commonly to 

 be liad. The book turns out to be an annual and the pub- 

 lisiier usually declines to sow another crop of the same kind 

 by bringing out a new edition. 



Occasionally a book takes with the public and becomes a 

 perennial. Ivlition after edition is demanded l)ut just how 

 rarely this is the case with scientific books one may discover 

 fc)r himself by looking for second editions among the books 

 on his own shelves. There are, however, even a few century- 

 plants among the books. The dictionary is a good illustra- 

 tion. The old editions die. but new ones constantly spring 

 uj) froju the i)arent stock. 



The evanscent character of most books, therefore, makes 

 it desirable for one who decides to buy a particular example 

 to get it at once, otherwise he may never possess it or if by 

 chance he does secure it, he may be obliged to take a second- 

 hand copy often at a large increase in price. 



