198 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY. [October. 



We then prepare by subjects a card catalogue, with references to the section by num- 

 ber. This card catalogue need not be prepared all at once, but only as study of differ- 

 ent subjects makes it desirable. Thus, normal unstriped muscle would have many 

 references, as, for example, intestine, 5, 23, 27 ; stomach, 19, 8, etc. This catalogue of 

 the contents of the cabinet is, of course, entirely distinct from the list in which the 

 record of the technical history of the slide is kept. Such a working table of contents 

 of the collection is of great value, because it permits an indefinite number of cross 

 references. Stomach, 19, 8, may illustrate not only normal unstriped muscle, but nor- 

 mal gastric follicles, and various morbid phenomena, under all of which heads.it is 

 referred to. — H. L. O. 



2. What is the best method of making sections of buds to demonstrate estivation and 

 venation ? — V. G. L. 



A. — Probably the paraffine imbedding as practised by Moll {Journal, 1888, p. 86). 

 It would depend, however, upon the age of the bud. If flower buds only were studied 

 the method would leave nothing to be desired, for serial sections could be cut. With 

 woody buds its application would be less satisfactory, except when very young.— 

 H. L. O. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Synoptical Flora of North America. The Gamopetala. By Asa Gray. Smithsonian 

 Institution. Washington, D. C, 1888. 



It is now nearly forty years since the late Dr. Gray, in conjunction with Dr. John 

 Torrey, undertook to write a work upon the flora of the entire North American conti- 

 nent. One volume and part of a second were published, systematically, reviewing the 

 known facts of the flora as far as through the order Compositae. Later, in 1878, Dr. 

 Gray published a continuation of the work, which included everything known in North 

 America from the Compositse through the Gamopetalae. The volume now issued 

 through the generosity of the Smithsonian Institution, as No. 591 of its publications, 

 comprises all the Gamopetalae, being a complete revision of the latter part of Torrey 

 and Gray's Flora, and a reprint of the Flora dated 1878, with supplements, bringing 

 the latter down to date. The first part consists of 480 pages, including a supplement 

 of 1 1 pages, and an index of 24 p.ages. The second part consists of 392 pages, printed 

 from the 1878 stereotype plates, with a few corrections and a supplement. This is 

 followed by an enumeration of genera and of species, and by a complete index. The 

 volume of 942 pages represents an amount of work which only the student who has 

 attempted a similar task can comprehend, and it was only part of the work of a very 

 busy scientist. Review articles, essays, the practical study and collection of the im- 

 mense herbarium at Harvard, and for many years a large amount of class-room work 

 in Harvard College, occupied Prof. Gray's time. Now for a decade it has been under- 

 'slood that the author's time was almost exclusively his own for the completion of this 

 great work. He has left behind not only this completion of a part of his projected 

 work, but a large amount of partially finished material, so that the Flora may be com- 

 pleted before many years. 



Of the character of the work which has been done, and which is now given to many 

 anxious readers, no one can say too much in praise. It represents an enormous amount 

 of careful research by a most careful and faithful student. The descriptions are brief 

 and pointed. There is no exhaustive synonymy, but a note of the synonyms, and a 

 few most importaiTit references for the original diagnoses. The name synopsis would 

 indicate the book to be little more than a list, but every plant given receives a complete 

 diagnosis, occupying somewhere near the space so devoted in Gray's Manual. There 

 are in all 567 genera and 3,521 species described, of which 525 genera are indigenous, 

 162 species are introduced from Europe; so that the North American Gamopetalous 

 flora includes 3,359 native species. The number of species of the genus Aster described 

 is 124. It is the largest genus, and Solidago, with 78. species, comes second. 



A word of thanks ought to be in the mouth of every user of the " Flora " to the Insti- 

 tution which has placed it within their reach. None but the professional botanists will 

 require it. They will find it indispensable. The number of these is too small to per- 

 mit the publication of such a work as a private enterprise. It is understood that Prof. 

 Sereno Watson, who has for many years worked with Prof. Gray, and has had charge 

 of the Herbarium, will continue the Synopsis. It is to be hoped that at no very distant 

 date the final volume may be issued. 



