80 



duced no appreciable modification of surviving plants and animals, who 

 vast a period must h ive been required for that marvellous scheme of 

 organic development which is chronicled in the rocks ? Afrer careful 

 reflection on the subject I affirm that the geological record furnishes a 

 mass of evidence which no arguments drawn from other departments of 

 nature can explain away, and which, it seems to me, cannot be satisfac- 

 torily interpreted save with an allovvance of time much beyond the 

 narrow limits which recent physical speculation would concede." In 

 conclusion the President referred to the geological features of Edmburgh, 

 which had fur^i^hed so much material for enjoyment during his life. 



H. M. A. 



-:0:- 



BOOK NOTICE. 



THE Cultivated Native Plums and Cherries (Bulletin 38. Cor- 

 nell University Expt. Station, June 1892.) by L. H. Bailey. 

 In this monograph of 73 pages Prof. Bailey has embodied a large 

 amount of practical mformation as well as accomplished the very diffi- 

 cult task of making a thorough classification of our native Plums and 

 Cherries. 



With plums the work has been particularly complicated, and only 

 the most patient study and research could have been rewarded by such 

 gratifying results. 



Up to the present time our cultivated native varieties have been 

 roughly assigned to three wild types, (i) Prunns Americana, Marshall 

 the plum of the north and west (2) Prmius aii^ustifolia, Marshall, or 

 P. chickasa, Michx, native of the middle and Southern States and (3) 

 Prutius maritiina, Wangheim, known as the Beach plum of the south. 

 Much confusion existed however as many of the cultivated forms could 

 not be satisfactorily assigned to any of these original types. Prof. Bailey 

 says, '' There has been no attempt so far as 1 know, to make a com- 

 prehensive study of these fruits and as a consequence our knowledge of 

 thc-m is vague and confused. In fact, the native plums constitute 

 probably the hardest knot m American pomology. Their botanical 

 status is equ illy unsatisfactory aud the group is one of the most inextric- 

 ably confused of any of equal extent in our whole flora." As a result of 



