I I 8 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARRORICUI.TURAL SOCIETY. 



Flora and Sylva : A Monthly Review for Lovers of Gardens, 

 Woodland Tree and Flo7ver ; New and rare Plants, Trees, 

 Shrubs and Fruits ; the Garden Beautiful, Home Woods and 

 Home Landscape. Edited by and printed and published 

 for W. Robinson, author of The English Floiuer Garden, 

 and other works. 



The author has very kindly presented to the Society's library 

 the first three volumes of this work. The volumes are 

 magnificent specimens of the paper-makers', printers', engravers', 

 and colour printers' arts, and are a handsome monument to the 

 author and all concerned in their upmake. The work originally 

 appeared in monthly parts, but unfortunately it has now been 

 discontinued because the subscribers to such an expensive 

 publication, even although it was issued at less than cost price, 

 were too few to warrant its continuance. This is not surprising 

 in our age of cheapness, but is nevertheless very regrettable, 

 because the mere mechanical production and handling of 

 such a book, apart altogether from the intrinsic value of its 

 contents, must have had an elevating effect on all concerned. 

 The contents will appeal mostly to lovers of gardens and 

 ornamental grounds, but there is a special series of articles on 

 the greater trees of the Northern Forest, besides many others 

 dealing with forestry subjects scattered throughout the volumes 

 which are interesting to foresters and tree lovers. We record 

 our grateful thanks to Mr Robinson for this very handsome 

 donation to our library. R. G. 



The Story of our Trees. By Margaret M. Gregson. i6o pp. 

 and 74 figures. University Press, Cambridge, 191 2. 



This book consists of twenty-four lessons on topics relating to 

 trees, such as leaf-casting, winter buds and tree forms, how a 

 tree lives, etc. It would be a useful guide to nature study 

 relating to trees were it not that, as in so many of these books, 

 too much is attempted to allow of strict accuracy. However, if 

 the practical work, which includes visits to woods and timber 

 yards, is followed with Care, the teacher could convey the 

 elements of tree-life. In some cases the practical exercises 

 might be carried out on trees rather than on herbaceous plants : 

 why study the bean in detail when the acorn is available ? In 



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