1885.] REVIEWS OF BOOKS. 521 



two birches, an alder, a niyrica, eighteen willows, and tw^o poplars — 

 twenty-eight species in nine genera under four natural orders. In 

 Canada there are at least eight oaks, a chestnut, a beech, two hazels, 

 two hornbeams of distinct genera, six birches, two alders, about 

 fourteen willows, and five poplars, also a plane tree, two walnuts, 

 and four hickories — say forty-eight species in thirteen genera, and 

 belonging to seven natural orders. The comparison may not be 

 altogether fair ; for the British flora is exceptionally poor even for 

 islands so situated. But if we extend it to Scandinavia so as to 

 have a continental and equivalent area, the native couifene would 

 be augmented only by one fir, the amentaceie by several more 

 willows, a poplar, and one or two birches, no additional orders or 

 genera." 



Eeferring to the destruction of forests by fires and other causes. 

 Professor Fream points out the alarming extent to which Nova 

 Scotia has been denuded of its timber. He tells us that in that 

 province all or nearly all the timber lands will have been cut over 

 for the first time by or perhaps before the year 1890. By careful 

 husbanding, a second cut nearly equal to the first can in many 

 localities be obtained after fifteen or twenty years, so that, if it were 

 not for the forest fires, those lands wliich are well looked after 

 would never become denuded of their timber. As it is, the supply 

 of pine and spruce is rapidly approaching exhaustion, and the 

 lumbering trade is on the decline. Large areas once covered with a 

 stately growth of pine, spruce, and other trees have been rendered 

 almost barren by fires. No discretion is exercised, nor is any 

 protection extended to the forests in Nova Scotia ; every man may 

 cut as he pleases. 



For other details respecting the Canadian forests we must refer 

 our readers to the pages of the Journal. The remainder of the 

 number contains a lengthy report on the 1885 Exhibition held at 

 Preston, a report on Agricultural Education, as well as articles on 

 Abortion in Cows, Pickets and Paralysis in Young Sheep, etc. 



The Scottish Geographical Magazine. Edinburgh : Printed for the 

 Society by T. & A. Constable. 



The November number of this spirited monthly contains a short and 

 ably-written sketch of recent explorations in North-west Australia, 

 by the honorary secretary, Mr. John Bartholomew, in which he 

 points out the value of that colony as a field for the emigration of 

 the poorer classes of this country. The description is accompanied 



