170 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



belong most probably to the second generation. Of the latter, 

 P. parviloba and P. cantabrigmsis are new hybrids, described 

 here for the first time. 



Following up Benedict's work on the relationship of the age 

 of the vine to the area of the " vein-islets " of the leaf, the 

 authors seek to prove that since numerous leaves from different 

 trees gave practically the same vein-islet area all London Planes 

 are of the same age, being ultimately cuttings from one original 

 tree. In conclusion, a synopsis is provided of the six known 

 species of Platanus. 



The paper is copiously illustrated with reproductions of photo- 

 graphs of twigs and with drawings of various achenes, and, in 

 the case of P. occidentalis, with drawings of the vein-islets of the 

 leaf at different ages of the tree. 



Afforestation. By A. D. Webster, author of Seaside Planting, 

 Firewoods, etc. 160 pp. T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd. London, 

 6s. net. 



Mr Webster's views on afforestation are already well known to 

 foresters, from his articles in magazines and in his useful 

 and popular Foresters' Diary the current issue of which, by 

 the way, is now unobtainable, having been sold out some time 

 ago. His original scheme provided for the planting of 3,000,000 

 acres in twenty-five years at the rate of 120,000 acres per annum, 

 but latterly he reduced this extent to 1,000,000 acres. In these 

 circumstances it is not surprising that he thinks the area to be 

 afforested under the Government scheme is too small, and the 

 period over which the planting is to extend is too long. 



The book consists of fourteen chapters, each dealing with some 

 aspect of afforestation, such as the cost of forming plantations, 

 the different methods of planting, the kinds of trees to plant, 

 financial returns, the advantage of afforestation, schools of 

 forestry, and other matters. The volume contains a good deal 

 of useful information, but is marred by repetitions which should 

 have been avoided. The articles should have been revised by 

 the author before they were sent to the printer and the 

 repetitions deleted. As they stand the remark we observed in 

 a contemporary regarding a similar volume of articles might 

 be applied to them, "It is chiefly because of the bookbinders' 

 art that they form a volume." 



