141 



so mucli attention been directed to the vegetable kingdom for 

 new sources of seeds yielding edible fatty oils and also to the 

 extended cultivation of those already of commercial importance. 



In the Palm family there are many fruits with oily kernels 

 that might be applied to industrial use, but, generally speaking, 

 there are difficulties in the way of obtaining regular supplies m 

 quantity, and the fruits being often extremely hard in texture, 

 special machinery, which is not always available, is needed to 

 extract the kernels without damage. 



With regard to Copra, which is the dried kernel of the Cocoa- 

 nut Palm (Cocos nucifera), there is an increasing demand for the 

 product, and during the last few years the extended cultivation 

 of this palm has been most marked. 



The uses to which all parts of the Cocoanut Palm are applied 

 in the tropics are too numerous to give even a brief outline of 

 them in this note, but in western commerce, beyond the fibre 

 known as Coir, obtained from the husks, the nuts, kernels and oil 

 extracted therefrom, comparatively little is known. 



The recently published book '^ Coconuts, the Consols of the 

 East,'' is a handy volume dealing primarily with the subject of 

 cocoanut cultivation and the preparation of its products for the 

 market. In addition,, many important subjects are discussed of 

 general interest to the planter. In the introduction the subject 

 of '^Health in the Tropics " forms not the least important feature 

 of the book. This is followed by chapters dealing with the cost 

 of a cocoanut estate, native ownership and husbandry, locality 

 and site, cocoanut cultivation in Ceylon, Malaya, West Indies, 

 Philippines, etc. ; cleaning and preparing the land for planting, 

 care and upkeep, diseases, catch crops and cover plants, Copra 

 and its preparation. Other subjects handled are farming with 

 dynamite, extraction of oil, mechanical extraction of fibre, 

 spraying machines, etc. 



From the foregoing it will be seen that the work covers a wide 

 field of subjects; some of the illustrations are rather poor, but 

 the book is well printed, has an excellent index, and should 

 certainly form a valuable handbook to the planter and others 



interested in tropical produce. 



J. M. H. 



Atlas of the Flora of Algeria. — It is a pleasure to record the 



continuation of the ''Atlas de la Flore d'Algerie." Commenced 

 by Battandier and Trabut as ''Atlas de la Flore d ' Alger " in 

 1886, it was continued in 1895 by the same authors as " Atlas de 

 la Flore d'Algerie,'' with fascicle 2 (plates 12-2S) with which it 

 ceased for the time. jNTow it has been taken up again by Professor 

 Trabut, who carries it to plate 46 (fascs. 3 and 4, plates 24-46). 



In the preface to the first fascicle it was stated that the Atlas 

 would be confined to plants not figured elsewhere, and further that 

 accuracy and analytical detail rather than artistic perfection 

 would be aimed at, so that the price could be kept low enough for 

 the many. The same principle has been applied to the present 

 fascicle and even extended to the mode of reproduction which 



