Reviews. 443 



greater then the increase of the stem below the fork, the increase of which is 

 in no way altered by the pruning, as it only receives from one stem the same 

 quantity of descending sap which it would have received fx'om two. Nor is 

 the whole quantity of the timber produced by the tree altered, though it is 

 infinitely increased in value by uniting in one long clean stem what would have 

 been divided into the branches. Throughout all forest pruning, the same prin- 

 ciple reigns as is here exemplified. Any argument to prove that the double 

 increase of the single remaining leader deteriorates the quality of the wood 

 would also prove that the quality of the stem below the original fork is inferior 

 to that of the two leaders, or that the stems in general, which are the re- 

 ceptacles of the aggregate descending sap of the branches, are inferior in 

 quality to the branches." 



In the frontispiece is given a representation of a barbarous and happily 

 obsolete " Tree Lifter" with its appurtenances ; five pages of the letterpress 

 being devoted to a description of the implements, one-fourth of that space 

 to the advantages of lifting and transplanting trees with good balls of earth, 

 with which all good foresters will agree, and only three pages of instructions 

 in the method of performing the important operations of tree-lifting and 

 transplanting, upon which subjects every intelligent forester knows ten 

 times as much as the whole book contains. 



Notes on Forestry. By C. F. Amery, D.C, N.W. Provinces, India. 



Triibner and Co., London. 

 A SMALL manual of 120 pages, with the rather pretentious object of laying 

 down the principles of forestry, as ajDplicable to the vast areas and widely 

 separated localities of the forests in India, " in such clear language that 

 one who had never before given the subject a thought might rise from its 

 perusal with a good general idea of what to do and how to do it." 



We can scarcely believe that Indian foresters are taught their profession 

 in this easy, off-hand way. If such were the case, it would be an excellent 

 speculation for the Indian Government to invest an odd half-crown in Mr. 

 Amery's book, and " educate " its foresters at lightning speed for the 

 merest nominal sum per head! The book really contains but a mere 

 outline of forest science and foresters' duties, compiled chiefly from the 

 French and German schools, and inculcating the ideas there prevalent, 

 which in most points are about as applicable to the Indian forests as they 

 are to those of England. 



As matters are under the present system, it is possible that this 

 elegantly got up little volume may contain all the knowledge that it is 

 considered necessary an Indian forester should possess of the duties and 

 practice of his useful and highly important profession ; but when the 

 system is established on a proper and] satisfactory basis, a more extended 

 knowledge will certainly be required of him. 



