THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 127 



are characterized by sound sense as to selection and good judg- 

 ment as to arrangement. Any teacher who cannot find valu- 

 able material in these questions is hard to suit. The book also 

 abounds in striking and illustrative illustrations. All in all 

 it is one of the best agricultural texts we have seen. The 

 price is $1.00 net. 



A sample copy of the Sketch Book published by A. E. 

 Vogel, at Manchester, N. H., has just reached us. From the 

 appearance of this number, we are inclined to think that most 

 of our readers would be interested in sending for it. It is 

 about such a publication as we should be tempted to issue if 

 we had time and money enough to make it possible, and there 

 were not so many other things that need somebody to do them. 

 The Sketch Book draws freely from the works of Thoreau, 

 Jeffries, Whitman, Burroughs, Howitt and writers of like 

 tastes and we wish it continued success. 



That nature study is gradually taking definite form is 

 shown by the appearance of such books as "Practical Nature 

 Study" by John M. and John G. Coulter and Alice Jean Pat- 

 terson. The authors are wise enough to see that no set pro- 

 gram for teaching nature study can be made, and the book in 

 hand is therefore intended as a bundle of suggestions to young 

 teachers by teachers who have successfully taught the subject. 

 The first part of the book is largely a discussion of methods 

 which can be read and re-read with advantage by all teachers 

 of nature study and elementary science. Part II. contains an 

 outline for work arranged according to grade and season, 

 dealing with plants, birds, insects, the weather and the like. 

 Part III. contains an outline for nature study and elementary 

 agriculture in grades above the sixth, followed by twenty- 

 seven chapters devoted to special subjects that may be studied, 

 with discussions of the best ways of studying them. In Part 

 IV. are discussions of bird study, school gardens, evolution 



