NOTICES AND REVIEWS OF BOOKS, 1 1 3 



planting is so limited, why are the broad-leaved green hollies 

 practically omitted ? True Ilex hodginsii and balearica are 

 mentioned, but there are others, such as madteriensis, shepherdii, 

 nobilis, camelliqfolta, and other smooth -leaved sorts well worth 

 planting. The common holly and the hedgehog varieties are not 

 worth planting in a smoky town. What is meant by " the Dwarf 

 variety of the Common Holly"? This is surely a very vague 

 description. 



The rhododendrons also, for some unaccountable reason, get 

 scant notice. In these days, when such a wealth of beautiful 

 hybrid varieties exists, who would plant i?. ponticum? True 

 where there is an excess of lime in the soil the rhododendron 

 will not thrive, but with half the preparation in the matter of 

 soil which is recommended for street trees the plants will repay 

 the labour. What about the variety planted so extensively 

 about Manchester ? In the cooler north many species and 

 varieties succeed admirably in our towns. Again, why are 

 medium-growing trees like Prumis triloba and Cotoneaster 

 frigida, both excellent town plants, put amongst the shrubs ? 



One of the weakest features of the book is the mixing up of 

 subjects diametrically opposite in character in the same para- 

 graph. While this defect occurs often enough in regard to the 

 shrubs, it is much more noticeable in the chapters relating 

 to garden plants. Whatever may have been the author's 

 intention, the reiteration of names is positively amazing, and 

 detracts seriously from the value of his recommendations. 

 Note one phenomenal plant which is mentioned no less than 

 three times, vide pp. in, 119, 138, 139, and grows in these few 

 pages from 2 to 4 feet across. This wonderful object is 

 the common bearberry {Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). The chapter 

 on " bedding plants " is weak, much of it being mere padding ; 

 while that on "water plants" suggests a want of knowledge of 

 many well-known subjects. 



The chapter on lawns and grass plots is likewise extraordinary. 

 If there is one thing more than another that is required in this 

 connection for smoky towns, it is a reliable list of grasses ; 

 the subject, therefore, is worthy of better treatment than it has 

 received from the author. By the way, yarrow {Achillea 

 viillefolia) is not a grass. 



The compilation of the lists of plants for specific subjects, 

 especially those relating to alpine and herbaceous plants, and 



VOL. XXVI. PART I. H 



