19S THE JOVKXAL OF BOTAXT 



subject on ^vhIcll he writes ; and there are, perhaps, no ver\' sei-ious 

 reasons a<^>-ahist the adjustable iron band which he prefers to the 

 sinipku* and cheaper method of supporting heavy branches by boring 

 a hole through them for a su])porting rod ; but there is, we think, 

 a more important fandamental unsoundness of ijrinciple running 

 tlirou<^'h the book. Mistakes of mere carelessness are far too nume- 

 rous. In describing the annual rings (p. 8), no doubt " concentric " 

 was meant where " consecutive " has been written. It is hardly 

 correct to sav, as on p. 9, that the cambium-layer " transmits the 

 sap from the roots to tbe crown." If it is only by slip-shod writing 

 that the Ash- tree and not Nectria is termed " strictly parasitical " 

 (p. 9); that an "early spring succeeded by a frosty winter" is 

 spoken of (p. 101); that Rliytisma punctata is styled "this insect" 

 (p. 107); that mosses and lichens are both called "parasites" 

 (p. 110) — we are sure that other mis-statements are not the result of 

 io-norance. Mr. Webster no Diore believes the larvie of moths to be 

 dqDOsited on the bark (p. 119), or a caterpillar to deposit her eggs 

 (p. 162), than he means to state, as he does on p. 151, that rabbits 

 roost on trees. As the excellent plates are unnumbered, the references 

 to " the accompanying illustration," often some pages awaj', are not 

 illuminating'-. These blemishes are, however, small matters that can 

 easily be remedied when the book reaches the new edition which its 

 practical value deserves. What is, we think, more serious is 

 Mr. Webster's attitude towards fuugoid disease. On p. 93, and else- 

 where, he speaks of decay as of something quite independent of, and 

 only to be accelerated by, such disease ; on p. 95, he recoimnends 

 "removing the fungus," by which he clearly means the pileus, 

 " cleanino- away all dead and dying matter, and coating with tar," 

 apparently oblivious of the almost certainly pervading presence of 

 mycelium*^ of which the " fungus " is only a surface indication. We 

 are afraid that, in many cases, as when cavities are to be filled Avith 

 cement, such superficial treatment of the cause of decay may spell 



failure. 



G. S. BorLGEii. 



BOOK-NOTES, NEWS, etc. 



We regret to learn that it has been decided by the Government 

 to suspend the circulation of the Bulletin of Miscellaneous Informa- 

 tion issued in connection with the lloyal (Jardens, Kew, on the 

 ground that its publication is not essential. A communicated article 

 in the Times for May 29 protests against this action, pointing out 

 that when, in 1892, on the score of expense, it was proposed that 

 similar action should be taken, " it was saved by the powerful in- 

 Ihience" of that paper. This, by the w^ay, may or may not have 

 been the case : the reason given by Mr. Plunket, then First Com- 

 missioner of Works, was that it was " highly valued by many persons " 

 (see Journ. liot. J 892, 191). At that time the irregularity of its 

 issue was notorious, and it was difficult to justify the statement of the 

 Times that its ])ublication was "one of the most useful functions 

 discharged by " Kew. Under the present Directorate of the Gardens, 

 however, the Bulletin has attained a position of ini|)ortance, botanical 



