36 LABORATORY PRACTICE FOR BEGINNERS IN BOTANY. 



Not only plants, but birds, the weather, moral reflections, 

 members of the Royal Family, the sun-dial, and other things, 

 receive attention from Mrs. S. Goldney's muse. Even the cry 

 "All out!" forms the subject of a poem; it reminds Mrs. S. 

 Goldney of tbe first intimation of that nature, which was addressed 

 to Adam and Eve in another garden, of which she ''softly asks" — 



" Can Paradise have fairer been than this? " 



But the keepers are relentless, as in the earlier instance, a,nd Mrs. 

 S. Goldney, still referring to Adam and Eve, says pathetically : — 



" Disconsolate — as they — we stand about 

 The closing gates, when dies the last ' All out ! ' " 



This wailing about, however, is futile ; it would be better to hurry 

 to the train. But is it not a strong plea for the earlier opening of 

 the Gardens ? 



Laboratorij Practice for Be(iinuers in Botany. By W. A. Setohell, 

 Ph.D. 8vo, pp. xiv, 199. New York : The Macmillan Co. 

 1897. Price 4s. 6d. net. 



We congratulate Dr. Setchell on this little handbook, intended 

 for beginners " either in the higher grades of the primary schools, 

 or in the secondary schools." With the aid of a lens and a knife, 

 and a plentiful supply of specimens, it conducts us through a well- 

 tirranged and useful course of practical study of the morphology and 

 meaning of the morphology of the larger plants. Its scope is well 

 described in the author's prefatory remarks : — 



" The writer has had the teachers particularly in mind in 

 arranging the course of study. The seed is taken up first, because 

 it is not only readily obtained, readily studied, and its meaning 

 clear, but it is also one of the most convenient starting-points for 

 a study of the life-history. After a few studies to show how the 

 plants start upon an independent existence, typical stems, typical 

 roots, and leaves are considered, both as to their structure and as 

 to their usefulness to the i^lant. Then follows the study of the 

 modification of these organs, especially in plants which store away 

 nourishment, which protect themselves from grazing animals, 

 which climb up above their neighbours for light and air; of plants 

 which are robbers or huntsmen, taking their food from other plants 

 or by capturing animals ; and, finally, a glance at the ditferent 

 ways in which plants propagate their kind." The directions to the 

 student are clear, and at the end of the book is an appendix for 

 teichers, containing suggestions as to reading, supply of material, 

 its preparation, and the like. We must, however, beg to differ 

 from the author on one point, viz. the suitability of Mr. Grant 

 Allen's Story of the Plants as a book of reference either for students 

 or teachers. Dr. Setchell is Professor of Botany in the University 

 of California, and therefore it is very natural that the plants selected 

 for study should be those to be easily obtained in the United States 

 of America. The teacher on this side the Atlantic will, however, 

 be able without much difficulty to replace these, where necessary, 

 by indigenous or commonly cultivated species. APR 



