MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 179 



ed admirably in presenting- the subject of plant life either 

 from the standpoint of structure or their ecological rela- 

 tions. The work is handsomely illustrated and the text 

 throughout is lucid and clear. Prof. Coulter has the facul- 

 ty of being able to make his meaning clear and the Eng- 

 lish throughout is excellent. In the prefatory note he states 

 that either volume may be used separately and one may 

 precede the other but he has very properly allowed the 

 subject of plant relations to precede that of structure. 

 Ecology if properly presented will give a proper concep- 

 tion of the place of plants in nature. It ought to broaden 

 the students conception of living plants. Throughout the 

 volume this point has been kept uppermost, and many sug- 

 gestive facts are brought into prominence. The variabili- 

 ty of plants with reference to their surroundings and their 

 relation to their environments is a subject which should be 

 kept uppermost in the studying of plants at least for the 

 beginner. It is far better to bring the student in direct con- 

 tact with nature than to try to start with technical terms. 

 The book throws out suggestions rather than giving all 

 the facts with reference to each topic. The work cannot 

 be reviewed in detail but altogether the first part is the 

 best American text on this subject recently published, both 

 in the subject matter and typographically. The chapter 

 on flowers and insect relations as well as the one on the 

 dissemination of seeds are refreshing and the facts are 

 marshalled in a very systematic and orderly way. The 

 chapter dealing with hydrophyte, xerophyte, mesophyte, 

 and halophyte societies is certainly admirably presented ; 

 moreover, the illustrations are superb. Such problems as 

 reproduction, the plant body, isogamy, heterogamy, algae, 

 fungi, mosses, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms are 

 discussed in detail. While the work presents many tech- 

 nical details the facts are well ordered and lucidly present- 

 ed. The work is surely well adapted for secondary schools 

 and can be most heartily recommended. A valuable part 

 of the work is the suggestions to teachers by Dr. Caldwell 

 and Prof. Coulter, each of the parts having one of these 

 suggestive outlines. — L. H. Pammel. 



UJ 





