860 jOl'RNAL OK I'OKKSTKV 



As in the key in the first edition, the gross characters form the prin- 

 cipal basis for separation of species, but microscopic characters are 

 sometimes used. This presupposes a knowledge on the part of the 

 user of the key of the minute structure of the wood, which makes the 

 key of value principally to the trained wood technologist. To facilitate 

 the use of the key for both the layman and the student who does not 

 have a microscope available, as in field-work, it might have been well 

 to have made one key, based entirely on the characters seen with the 

 naked eye and the hand lens, and another based largely on microscopic 

 features. A combination of the two, unless the microscopic features 

 are entirely subordinated, does not make the most practical kind of a 

 key. 



A great, improvement found in the new edition is the addition of an 

 Appendix of 20 pages. The Appendix contains first a discussion of the 

 botanical classification of American species, with tables showing the 

 number of families, genera, and species i^ each group ; then follows a 

 discussion of wood structure, the various kinds of elements in wood 

 and their distribution, supplementing Part I. Several tables are in- 

 cluded, showing the occurrence of simple and scalariform perforations 

 in native woods, spirals in vessels, the nature of the pits in vessel walls 

 where in contact with ray parenchyma, the occurrence of tyloses and 

 gum deposits in vessels, the nature of pitting in wood fibers, kind of 

 ravs in native woods — that is, whether heterogeneous or homogene- 

 ous — and finally a list of indigenous woods with "ripple-marks." This 

 compilation of data on native woods is of inestimable value to the stu- 

 dent of wood. Aluch of the data is original and all of it is presented 

 in a new form, which makes it verv convenient for reference. 



A. K. 



Final Report, Forestry Sub-Committee of Reconstruction Committee, 

 Ministry of Reconstruction. London, 1918. Pp. 106. 



This painstaking document, elaborated during the throes of war, is 

 worthy of study by those of our foresters just now considering the 

 need of a national forest policy. It develops with considerable detail, 

 in a sound and statesmanlike manner, the establishment of a Forest 

 Service and a planting and reforesting campaign. 



A brief historical sketch brings out the futility of attempts in the 

 same direction made by previous committees for the last 30 years ; the 

 latest, based upon a general development fund established in 1909, hav- 

 ing by 1916 through various agencies spent only about $358,000, of 



