1884.] RERIEWS OF BOOKS. 77 



The Florist and Pomologist, and Suhurhan Gardener: A Pictorial 

 Magazine of Horticulture and Register of Garden Novelties, 

 inclnding New Plants, Flou-ers, Fruits, and Vegetables. Edited 

 by Thomas Moore, F.L.S., F.E.H.S., etc. Loudon : Kent & Co., 

 Paterncster Eow. Nos. 81, 82, September and October. 



OuE contemporary admirably continues to supply its unique place 

 in British horticulture. Brief and terse descriptions of new varieties, 

 with their horticultural treatment clearly detailed, and abundant 

 woodcuts throughout, are among its salient peculiarities. But each 

 number as well contains two coloured plates, which may give 

 exquisite enjoyment even to dwellers far away from gardens in 

 populous city pent. The coloured illustrations in the September 

 number are Waterer's Hardy Azaleas and the Apple Tom Putt ; in 

 the Octoljer number are Ogpripedium calwpiim and Apple Bramley's 

 Seedling. 



The Indian Forester. Edited by W. E. Fisher, B.A. September 



1884. 



This number furnishes the commencement of a complete monograph 

 by K. Fagan, Assistant-Conservator of Forests, Bombay, on the 

 Babul meadows of the Sholapur Districts. The Babul-tree is to be 

 the principal species in the great reboisements now undertaken in 

 the plain Talukas of the Deccan, and is at present most shamefully 

 grown. From an article by Dr. Brandis " On the Progress of 

 Forestry in India," we learn that — 



" The trees of which the Indian forests consist are entirely 

 different from those common in Europe. The variety of trees is 

 much greater. In Great Britain there are only about 40 species of 

 indigenous trees, while in India they number over 2000. Only in 

 the temperate climate of the Xorth-Western Himalaya is the general 

 character of the forests similar to that in Europe, and there are even 

 a few kinds wliich are common to Ijoth countries, such as the yew 

 and the boxwood. 



" Of all Indian forest trees, the most important is the teak 

 {Tectona grandis), a deciduous tree of the natural order of Verbenacea:, 

 to which Vitex and Verhcna belong, with large rough leaves often 

 3 ft. long. This tree is found associated with bamboos and a great 

 variety of other trees, most of which have no, or very little, market 

 \'alue. Pure natural teak forests are rare, but they are sometimes 

 found on dry and poor soil. In the island of Java, teak is described 

 as a more gregarious tree than it is in India ; but the home of teak 

 is in the moister regions of tropical India, and the most extensive 



