90 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



is likely to iillow his own experiences to color opinions of 

 this kind. These, however, are minor defects to be overlook- 

 ed especially as the author always errs on the safe side. 

 There are a large number of excellent illustrations and it is 

 quite certain that the book will do much, not only to make our 

 wildflowers more popular as garden subjects, but paradoxical 

 as it may seem, lead to their greater conservation in the wild. 

 AH amateurs will have need to consult it frequently. • The 

 novice w\\\ probably be astonished at the number of our native 

 plants that are considered worth growing. The book is pub- 

 lished by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, and costs $3.50. 

 Anybody contemplating the publication of a local flora 

 and searching for a model would do well to consult Ellen 

 D. Schulz's "500 Wildflow^ers of San Antonio and Vicinity". 

 This is just such a book as any lover of wildflowers would 

 delight to find upon going into a new locality. The plants 

 are arranged in families with adequate keys for their identi- 

 fication, but this is not what makes the book attractive. It 

 towers above similar works in its method of describing the 

 species. The author has not found it necessary to mention 

 each part of each plant in technical language but has instead 

 given a clear and accurate word picture of each, emphasizing 

 onlv those features which render it attractive or serve to dis- 

 tinguish it from its congeners. Ecpecial attention is paid to 

 the common names of the plants, the time of blooming, uses 

 and similar subjects. As one looks through the book he is 

 reminded of the work of the earlier botanists written when 

 botany was still the "amiable science" and its devotees had 

 the time to express the interet and admiration they felt for 

 the wildflowers, as well as to record the shape and texture 

 of each plant part. From this book one is likely to feel that 

 he can soon get a working knowledge of the San Antonio 

 flora. There are nearlv fiftv illustrations of important spe- 



