192 BOOK-NOTES, NEWS, ETC. 



Messrs. Kegan Paul & Co, have published in their International 

 Scientific Series an epitome of Sir John Lubbock's work on Seed- 

 lings, which was reviewed at some length in this Journal for 1893 

 (pp. 23-30). In its present form the book will be useful to many 

 for whom tlie original Avork was too costly, as well as too detailed 

 in treatment : it contains nearly half the figures of the larger book. 

 We think, however, that the retention of the same title, even with the 

 words ' ' popular edition ' ' added, is likely to mislead , althougb of course 

 the relation it bears to the original is clearly stated in the preface. 



Mr. Scott Elliot's A NatitraJist in Mid-Africa is somewhat 

 disappointing. It is described by the author as the " result of a 

 most inconvenient love of Botany," but Mr. Elliot has successfully 

 dissembled his love, for, with the exception of a chapter in which 

 he states his views of the botanical divisions of Africa, there is 

 singularly little about plants. Even the numerous new species 

 which have been described in this Journal are not referred to, nor 

 does Mr. Elliot seem to be aware that the fungi which he says 

 " are in process of description by Miss Smith," were actually pub- 

 lished by her in November last {Journ. But. 1895, 340-344). There 

 are. some useful hints on collecting, in the course of which he says, 

 " the brown paper and frames which are recommended at Kew 

 I find entirely unsuitable " ; Mr. Elliot amplifies the methods 

 published by him in this Journal for 1892 (356-398). The book is 

 handsomely brought out, the type being large and widely leaded ; 

 but it leaves the impression that — to quote the time-honoured 

 criticism — " the anthor would have succeeded better if he had 

 taken more pains." Mr. Elliot tells us that " the wind of evolution 

 has not yet stirred the dry bones of systematic botany." 



The volume on Bromeliacea, containing over a thousand pages, 

 which Dr. Mez has contributed to the series of Monographs supple- 

 mentary to DeCandolle's Frodronuift, has lately been issued. We 

 hope to publish a review of this important work at a future date. 



Mr. Vernon H. Blackman, B.A., Scholar of St. John's College, 

 Cambridge, has been appointed an assistant in the Botanical De- 

 partment of the Natural History Museum. Mr. Blackman will have 

 charge of the Fungi and Lichens. 



We have omitted to notice the Hon. Alicia Amherst's History 

 of Gardening in England, because we hoped — and still hope — to do 

 so at greater length than has hitherto been possible. But we must 

 not longer delay calling the attention to those of our readers who 

 are interested in gardening and gardening books to this valuable 

 and scholarly addition to the literature of the subject. In a hand- 

 some and well-illustrated volume of 400 pages, Miss Amherst has 

 brought together a vast amount of information— much of it hitherto 

 inaccessible — dealing with English horticulture in all its branches. 



The death of Mr. John Buchanan is recorded in the Standard of 

 March 27th as having occurred (from fever) on his way home from 

 Africa. Mr. Buchanan had recently sent a large collection of plants 

 to the British Museum. 



