CURRENT LITERATURE 



BOOK REVIEWS 

 Manual of tree diseases' 



This first wholly American work in book form on the diseases of forest trees 

 is one of "The Rural Manuals" edited by L. H. Bailey, and in conformity 

 with the general plan of this series has been written primarily for the general 

 public. Insect and other animal injuries are not included. The treatment of 

 the subject throughout is simple and direct ; the diseases are concisely described, 

 and methods of control indicated. The first 4 chapters deal with such maladies 

 of biotic and abiotic origin as are common to many kinds of trees and are 

 respectively entitled "Seedling diseases and injuries," "Leaf diseases and 

 injuries," "Body and branch diseases and injuries," and "Root diseases and 

 injuries." Chapters v-xxxii are devoted to an account of the more "specific" 

 diseases, one chapter to each generic host group, beginning with the alders. 

 The arrangement of the chapters is alphabetical according to the EngHsh 

 host group names. Two chapters foUow, one. on "Tree surgery," the other 

 on "Spraying and dusting for leaf diseases." The book is equipped with a 

 glossary, a general bibliography of tree diseases, and an excellent index. 



This work, although not intended as a textbook, wiU be welcomed by all 

 students of plant pathology because it is the only summary available of the 

 diseases of the forest trees of the United States and of Canada, and because it 

 includes many classified references to the literature. The writing of the book 

 reveals the limitations of forest pathology in America; the number of workers 

 in this field has been small, the subject matter is as yet largely unexplored, and 

 the applications of the results so far attained have been restricted. The author 

 clearly recognizes these facts, and does not fail to point out the direction 

 investigations should foUow; in so doing he makes a contribution of prime 

 importance. — J. H. Faull. 



MINOR NOTICES 



Our national forests. — The period of reconstruction not less than the 

 progress of the war has directed, in a special manner, the attention of our people 

 to their natural resources and to the desirability of properly utilizing and 

 conserving them. Thus no more timely moment could be chosen for the pub- 

 lication of some account of our forest wealth as shown in the establishment and 



' Rankin, W. Howard, Manual of tree diseases, pp. 398. figs. 70. 1918. New 

 York: Macmillan Co. 



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