OUTLINES OF THE niSTORY OF BOTANY 93 



open up so many new vistas beyond the dreams of older schools, that 

 tlio subject of Botany attains a wholly new connotation. In summing 

 up some of the more important lines of development, the author 

 ingeniously solves the problem by introducing lengthy quotations 

 from authorities still living ; and thus Bower is made responsible for 

 views on the origin of antithetic alternation of generations (p. 179), 

 Scott for the relation of Spermatophyta to Ferns (p. 257), and 

 Hallier (p. 259) on the relation of Angiosperms to Bennettitae. 



The final chapters (since 1900) again emphasize equally new and 

 striking aspects of the science, as the rise of Mendelism, and conclude 

 with interesting pronouncements on the remarkable extension of 

 Fossil Botany, Ecology, Energy Relations, and Sensitivity, as also 

 the future sj^stematy of Angiosperms. It must not be forgotten that 

 the History of Botany inchides not only the story of the progression 

 of the human intellect in approaching the more intimate compre- 

 liension of a great and independent section of living organism, often 

 with most imperfect tools ; but is quite as much the record of human 

 stupidity and perversity, adherence to preconceived ideas, theological, 

 philosophical, and even in recent times zoological, anything rather 

 tlian direct appeal to the living plant itself. 



Even if one may not be always inclined to agree whole-heartedly 

 with the author in estimates involving so many conflicting standpoints, 

 it is a matter of congratulation that an English botanist can have 

 opinions of his own, and does not mind printing them. Each lecture 

 has a useful bibliography, restricted to papers which should be within 

 the reach of students. A useful table expressing the parallel progres- 

 sion of the different branches of the science, in terms of the leading 

 lights of the older and more modern world, would have been clearer if 

 set up in type. The book is neatly got up ; considering the enormous 

 amount of digestible information, it is not expensive, and it is easy as 

 well as delightful to read. 



A. H. C. 



Applied Botany. By G. S. M. Ellis. Pp. i-viii, 1-24S. With 

 67 figures and 2 maps in the text. Hodder & Stoughton. 

 4ts. 6d. net. 



This beautifully-printed volume, neatly bound in dai-k-green 

 cloth, is one of " The New Teaching Series of Practical Text-Books " 

 —a series which, announces the wrapper, " is one of the first-fruits of 

 the New Humanism, and breathes the inspiration of the hour's 

 occasion : it strives to build up the New Humanism on the basis of 

 the student's immediate economic interest and environment." 



As to how far the volume before us realizes these lofty ideals we 

 do not venture an opinion ; but we can say without hesitation that 

 Mr. Ellis has produced one of the best introductions to botanical 

 science tliat we have seen. The title, however— devised, doubtless, to 

 fall in line with the " New Teaching Series,"— is scarcely appropriate. 

 An intelligent student of farming, having studied the*^ book, might 

 liave some claim to a knowledge of the broad general principles of 

 Botany, and be prepared to assimilate rM])idly higher branches of the 

 subject ; but his studies would not heljj him tu improve his crops by 

 any application of his knowledge. 



