152 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



be included in the list. Among these are the corn cockle, marsii 

 maiigold, black locust, wild cherry, buttercup, lily-of-the-val- 

 ley, may-apple, celandine, and black nightshade. Certain 

 other plants may cause death to stock, infect cattle with milk- 

 sickness, or excite hay fever in man. The poisonous principles 

 are commonly glucosides or alkaloids and some species con- 

 tain more than one substance of this kind. In some, also, the 

 poisonous principle does not develope until the plants have 

 wilted or have been bruised. The American poisonous plants 

 of every description are discussed by Dr. John W. Harshberger 

 in a new book entitled "Text-book of Pastoral and Agricul- 

 tural Botany," published by P. Blakiston's Son & Co., Phila- 

 delphia. In this the poisonous plants hold first place followed 

 by an account of the principal forage crops, nitrification, weeds 

 and their control, and seed testing. Several pages are also 

 devoted to a list of edible plants, with notes. The book is a 

 valuable accumulation of facts, but the lact of careful organi- 

 zation is evident in many places. We recognize the import- 

 ance of the data presented, but still desire the opinion of the 

 author regarding them. Very few errors of statements are 

 found in the book, though in the case of the marsh marigold 

 and black nightshade, they are given reputations for liarni ful- 

 ness which the reviewer believes quite undeserved; at least, if 

 they are poisonous lie does not understand how it happens that 

 he is still on earth. As a whole the book is a valuable contri- 

 bution to that slowly increasing section of literature dealing 

 with tlie economic aspects of plants, and will no doubt be 

 widely used. It is intended mainly for use in high schools and 

 colleges and contains directions for laboratory work as well 

 as an extensive vocabulary. 



