BOOKS ON OUR TABLE. REVIEW 



Atkins' Automaton, or Self-Raking Reaper and Moicer. — This is an advertisement of 

 the "lion" ruachino at the Illinois State Fair at Chicago. It attracted more attention 

 than any other implement on the ground, and is certainly a most ingenious and useful 

 article. Twelve hundred, we were informed hy the proprietor, J. S. Wright, were built 

 for the harvest of 1855. 



T/ie Railroads, History and Commerce of Chicago. 1855. — We indebted for this panipli. 

 jet to William Bross, Esq., one of the prominent and energetic citizens of that wonderful 

 city, Chicago. The whole story of this "new world" is astonishing, and beyond the 

 dreams ol eastern romance. 



ilcbitto. 



Japanese Botany; being a facsimile of a Japanese Book, with introductory notes and 

 translations, riiiladelpliia : Published by J. B. Lippincott & Co. $1.25. 



AVhen the Japan expedition was first proposed, no class of our fellow citiizens felt a 

 greater interest in its success, apart from national considerations, than did we as horti- 

 culturists. Japan had been so long something of a sealed book, that our curiosity 

 -was excited at the prospect of a peep at the inside. By the prying of some enterprising 

 Dutch botanists we had already been delighted with a Paulownia, some fine Clematises 

 Hydrangeas, and many other acquisitions ; we hoped that our friend Perry, and others 

 of his command, would he able to minister still to our desires. 



Nor have we been altogctlier disappointed. Many opportunities did net occur to them, 

 but the few that did were eagei'ly made available, and every thing that could throw any 

 light on the Horticulture or Botany of Japan, was carefully preserved and brought to us. 



The present book we owe to the energy of Dr. Wilson of the expedition ; and while 

 it is an interesting contribution to the flora of Japan, it is at the same time a genuine 

 literary curiosity. The work is small quarto, and even including the binding, exactly 

 an imitation of the original copy. Forty papers are devoted to the drawings, which we 

 are surprised to find much superior as artistic productions to what we were led to believe 

 the Japanese capable of. Amongst the figures are several quite new to us, especially 

 two Caryophyllaceous plants, allied to the well known Chinese Pink, (of which also a 

 drawing is given,) and which appears to be very beautiful. Our old friends Onis Chi- 

 nensis, and Silium speciosum, with other stranger forms allied to them, we readily re- 

 cognize. One plate is occupied with a bunch of Chrysanthemums, representing pretty 

 well such specimens as were in cultivation with us twenty years ago. Could we send 

 our Japan brethren a collection of their favorite flowers, as modern French florists have 

 improved them, they would scarcely see in them the same species. 



The work has other interesting features besides these we have specified. The editor 

 has translated the characters, and placed the interpretations side by side with the in- 

 scriptions, thus affording an insight into the nature and construction of their language. 



We have no doubt that all interested in Japanese curiosities, especially floral and bo- 

 tanical ones, will agree with us in wishing the publishers a remunerative sale for their 

 spirit in getting up this treat for us. 



Those Japanese are odd fellows at a dodge. We have opened a port or two and 

 thought ourselves in contact with them at last ; but they value our coin too low to make 

 lie an object, and moreover declare they have nothing to sell ! Of course no trade 

 and we must be content with their seeds and flowers. Artfid dodgers indeed. 



