THE PLANT WORLD. 195 



F. Ward, assisted by Dr. F. H. Knowlton and Mr. Charles L. Pollard- 

 These names, well-known to the readers of The Plant World, are in 

 themselves a guarantee of the high character of the botanical portion 

 of the dictionary, for those who are taking a prominent part the 

 making of the standard literature of a science are of necessity well 

 equipped in the knowledge of their tools. In addition to their scientitic 

 research work, too, all these gentlemen have been associated in one way 

 or another with the popularization of botanical science. 



The new dictionary adopts the classilication of Engler and Prantl, 

 the now everywhere recognized standard of general systematic botany. 

 We can tind a short, non-technical, and easily understood definition of 

 Archicldamydeae. It is refreshing to find the Maple Family under the 

 heading Aceraceae., distinguished from the Sapindaceae, with which on 

 technical grounds and against one's scientific instinct the older botani- 

 cal works included it. The number of genera and species and the 

 general geographic distribution of each family of plants is given. The 

 names of many tropical plants, such as acle and gugal, are a source of 

 gratification to those botanists to whom recent political changes and 

 commercial expansion have brought both the necessity and the desire 

 to become better informed on tropical botany. The definitions under 

 lily w^ill bring relief to many a puzzled plant-lover misled by the pop- 

 ular misapplication of this name to wholly difierent types of plants. 



The definitions are concise and plain, and one finds the modern 

 standard botanical terms for which he is looking. It is a pleasure to 

 welcome the old "Webster's" into the group of dictionaries in which one 

 can find not only the words of polite literature, but the words, in which 

 are written the scientific contributions to knowledo-e which have made 

 the passing century more notable than any of its predecessors in for- 

 w^arding the material progress of the world. — Frederick V. Coville. 



Studies of American Fungi: Mushrooms Edible, Poisonous, etc. 

 By George Francis Atkinson. Andrus & Church, Ithaca, N. Y. 

 8ov. pp. i-vi; 1-275., with 76 plates and over 150 text illustra- 

 tions. Price $3.00 post paid. 



This is without doubt the most important and valuable work of its 

 kind that has appeared in this country in recent years. It is beautifully 

 printed on heavy plate paper, and is provided with a wealth of beautiful 

 illustrations. In preparing the book the selection has been made of 



