FEBRUARY. 59 



REVIEWS. 



— -♦■ — 

 The Book of the Garden. By Charles M'Intosh, Dalkeith. Two thick 

 vols, royal 8vo., illustrated by numerous plates, and upwards of 

 2000 wood engravings. Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh. 

 We must congratulate both editor and pubUshers on the completion of 

 this work, which, whether considered in reference to the information it 

 conveys on the theory and practice of horticulture, its numerous illus- 

 trations, in the first style of art, and beautiful type, is every way 

 worthy of the character of all concerned in its publication. The scien- 

 tific knowledge and great experience of the editor in all that pertains 

 to horticulture, not only as regards cultivation, but as a landscape 

 gardener and garden architect, has enabled him to produce a work 

 which brings all that is known of the various subjects treated on down 

 to the present time ; while the manner in which the work is illustrated 

 merits our highest approval as most successful specimens of engraving. 

 Designs are given for flower-gardens, parterres, conservatories, and 

 plant and forcing-houses of every kind, with the different modes in 

 practice for heating them ; in short, every description of building con- 

 nected with the gardens and grounds of country and suburban resi- 

 dences, with all the accessories of vases, trellises, baskets, fountains, 

 &c., are described and delineated in the clearest manner by wood 

 engravings, in many cases even to minute details. This will prove of 

 great use to architects and others engaged in horticultural buildings, as, 

 generally speaking, architects are much wanting in the requisite know- 

 ledge for designing plant structures. On the practical details of cul- 

 ture the editor gives, in addition to his own opinion, the pith of what 

 others have wTitten on the subject. Our present garden literature is 

 too diffuse, and the editor, by taking advantage of introducing extracts 

 from other authors, has conferred a boon on the general reader, by 

 saving him much valuable time in referring to so many different works, 

 as we may feel satisfied he has quoted all worth recording on the sub- 

 ject. We hope to notice this work again. In the mean time we 

 strongly recommend the " Book of the Garden." To gardeners, in 

 every way, it will be indispensable, and not less so to country gentle- 

 men, architects, and surveyors, who will find it the best authority on 

 the subject they can refer to. 



General Price Current of Kitchen Garden and Floicer Seeds, sold by 



William Edgecumhe Rendle and Co., Seed Merchants, Flymouth. 

 No small indication of the growing importance of the nursery and seed 

 trade is afforded by the well got up and elaborate catalogues which are 

 annually published by the principal members of the trade. A very 

 few years back such things were unknown, except to the London seeds- 

 men and some few others. We have now catalogues the size of a 

 goodly volume, admirably arranged, and containing lists of fruit trees, 

 ornamental trees, and shrubs, hardy and exotic plants, with kitchen- 

 garden and flower seeds. The above all carefully classed and de- 

 scribed, with their various sjTionyms, so as to afford all the informa- 



