188 
Rica” even if grown from seed derived from that country, 
as well prepared Uganda Coffee is sufficient to stand on its 
own merits. In view of the rubber crisis, Ashplant’s concluding 
remarks are of interest. He discusses the prospects of existing 
estates, advising the retention of those well established of 50 acres 
and upwards; but in the case of smaller estates, which would not 
justify the erection of proper equipment, as an alternative to 
increasing the acreage to a profitable standard he advises that 
“if the rubber is still young and occupying good coffee land, 
there should, if an extension of the latter crop is feasible, be no 
question about displacing the rubber in favour of coffee.” 
J, 4... 
A New Book on Pears.*—This work is the sixth of its series, 
former volumes by the same author having dealt with grapes, 
apples, plums, peaches and cherries. They are published by 
the New York Agricultural Experiment Station and if, as is 
hoped, they are followed by similar treatises on small fruits, 
the whole should eventually form an encyclopedia of the greatest 
value on fruit cultivation in temperate regions. In noticing 
previous volumes we have testified to the remarkable care and 
comprehensiveness Dr. Hedrick and his assistants have shown 
in their preparation. To say that this volume falls in no way 
short of its predecessors is to give it high praise. Its aim is to 
provide a complete record of the development of the pear from 
the earliest to the present time; to describe more or less fully 
the cultivated varieties; and to give their synonymy, biblio- 
graphy and economic value. The work is intended primarily 
for cultivators and students in the United States and particularly 
in New York. Nearly eighty of the varieties most important in 
those areas have been selected for especial and more detailed 
description, and each of these varieties is illustrated by an 
excellent coloured plate. The numerous minor varieties are 
more briefly and summarily described. 
e pear as generally known in gardens is derived exclusively 
from Pyrus communis Linn., a tree whose native habitat is 
South Europe and Western Asia, In France and Central Europe 
Pyrus nivalis Jacquin, is sometimes cultivated, the fruits being 
used for perry-making and, when bletted, for dessert. It is 
known as “snow pear.” A third species, P. serotina Rehder, 
native of China and commonly called ‘Sand pear,” is of some 
importance in North America, where, in the South and Middle 
West States, hybrids between it and the common pear are found 
to be better adapted to the climate than the pure derivatives 
from P. communis, but their fruits are decidedly inferior to the 
best Te of common eu These three Lgee ae be said 
o Pes ars of en You ae U. x Hedvik. 1 mS 4to (aii ar 
836 pp. Sy, “Gite eighty coloured plates and one portra: 
