154 DISEASES OF PLANTS INDUCED BY CRYPTOGAMIC PARASITES. 



nature would have given them, but wliicli humanity had denied 

 them. I -will only add that this is the result of my observations (I 

 mean I have the same views on the subject)." (Page 13.) 



"Fungi appear most abundant on the stems and leaves of 

 herbaceous plants after they decay, and most wood has them when 

 turned into a semi-putrid state ; and why should not the potato 

 fungi be a production which is brought about by the effect of 

 disastrous conditions on the potato plant, and not the real origin of 

 the potato disease ? " (Page 68.) 



"At one time in our world's history mankind were pleased to 

 look upon the globe as just having always been much in the same 

 shape as it then was, and that it would always remain much the 

 same. By and bye it became recognized that the world had passed 

 through many changes, and the study of such changes came to reach 

 the dignity of a science, and it was called Geology." (Page 104.) 



Diseases of Plants induced by Cryptog antic Parasites, By Dr. Karl 

 Freiherr von Tubeuf, English Edition by William G. Smith, 

 B.Sc, Ph.D. London: Longmans. 1897. Pp. xvi, 598; 

 figs. 330. Price 18s. net. 



In the first place it is to be hoped that nothing will ever induce 

 the translator of this book to announce himself as " W. G. Smith." 

 He properly styles himself " William G.," and all whom it may 

 concern may as well take notice that in the subject of diseases of 

 plants, as in another more momentous sport, there is but one 

 " W. G." It is an encouraging sign of the progress of Botany that 

 translations from the German have now to be justified. Time was 

 when translators were at large seeking what German handbook they 

 might devour, with the expectation of applause. Now we are so 

 conceited that we look for a prefatory justification to anything 

 originally made in Germany. Dr. Smith, however, has rightly 

 judged that Tubeuf 's Diseases would meet with no vexatious quaran- 

 tine, but find- a ready welcome in this country and in America. 

 Until the original book appeared we had no good general textbook 

 treating of plant pathology. We had good books on plant-diseases, 

 such as the admirable Frank, Sorauer, Hartig's Bannikrankheiten, 

 &c., giving us the life-histories of fungal parasites, with details here 

 and there of their influence on their hosts, but no really scientific 

 dealing with the whole matter — no pathology, in short. It is the 

 special merit of Tubeuf that, following in the steps of De Bary, 

 Wakker, and others, he observed this great gap in botanical 

 literature, and set himself to produce a book that should fill it. 



In the first part he devotes chapters to fungal parasites and 

 saprophytes, /. e. to a consideration of the limitations of the states 

 of parasitism and of saprophytism, to the reaction of the host to 

 parasitic attack, to the relation of the parasite to the substratum, 

 to the subject of infection in general and the disposition of plants 

 to disease, to symbiosis and to the consideration of preventive 

 measures, and other economic matters. That, though not quite 

 following the order of treatment, should be good news to those 



