April 



:>' 



191]] 



NATURE 



209 



the discussion of weather variations, but popular 

 analyses are proverbiany unsound, and the psycholo- 

 gist has in recent ytjars attacked this problem of 

 individual differences with vigour, ingenuity, and 

 insight. 



It is as presenting a survey of work in this direction 

 that Prof. Whipple's book is to be regarded. Hitherto 

 nothing of the kind has been available, and the author 

 has rendered a capital service to English workers in 

 this field by compiling from widely extended sources 

 such mental tests as have been used with more or 

 less success in the study of children. The tests are 

 arranged in the order of the simplicity of the psychical 

 processes involved. Beginning with those which con- 

 cern physical and motor capacity, they pass through 

 those which measure the various forms of sensory 

 acuity, to others which deal with attention, memory, 

 suggestibility, and close with the Binet-Simon tests 

 of intellectual development. Each test is accompanied 

 by a critical survey of work already done in regard to 

 it, and an exhaustive bibliography. As a mere index 

 to the literature of this branch of psychology, the 

 book is of the greatest value. J. A. Green. 



CULTIVATION OF THE LAND. 

 7" Work a Grass Holding at a Living Profit, and 

 the Cheap Cottage Problem. By H. B. M. 

 iauchanan. Pp. vi+102. (London: Constable and 

 Co., Ltd., 1910.) Price is. net. 



FEW movements of recent years have attracted 

 greater interest than the migration from town 

 to country that now plays so large a part in the 

 lite of the village community. Not only does the 

 wrll-to-do man live further out into the country, but 

 the; humbler town-dweller is being enticed out ; and 

 tile agricultural labourer, instead of drifting off un- 

 heeded to the town, finds all sorts of inducements 

 hi Id out to him to remain where he is. Small hold- 

 inj^s are one of the most important developments of 

 this movement, and they are encouraged with the two- 

 fold object of getting more produce out of the land 

 and of bringing up the next generation in the country 

 rather than in the unhealthier conditions of the town. 

 It is arguable that the small holding is, per se, un- 

 economical, since the small holder cannot have the 

 intelligence of the good farmer, or he would long ago 

 liive become a large holder; but there can be no 

 fiilttrence of opinion as to the desirability of raising 

 till next generation in the country. This social aspect 

 (I the question has to be kept in view in dealing with 

 ill' rather bulky literature that has grown up on the 

 •^ul.ject. 



Mr. Buchanan has taken an honourable part in 

 flittering the new movement. He has studied small 

 li' IcHngs from within, having made some on his own 

 ite and carefully watched their development. Two 

 . i .>ses of small holders he considers are likely to suc- 

 i' I d : experienced people who supplement the profit.s 

 the holding by outside employment; and colonies 

 rking on cooperative lines directed by skilled super- 

 vision. The basis of their work must be the cultiva- 

 tion of the land ; they are not likely to succeed in 

 raising poultry, geese, cows, \c., on purchased food, 

 NO. 2163, VOL. 86] 



however profitable the expert may find the business. 

 And the weak link in all our cultivation is, in Mr. 

 Buchanan's view, the management of our grass land. 

 To this problem, therefore, he devotes a considerable 

 amount of attention. 



Grass presents a more difficult set of problems than 

 any other crop. It is left down permanently; seeds 

 of all kinds blow on to the ground, and may, if they 

 can, germinate and grow, and finally oust some of 

 the grass previously there. There is, in fact, a con- 

 stant competition for existence among the various 

 plants, and, in general, the poorer the soil, the larger 

 the number of plants present. Artificial manuring, 

 mowing, grazing, and grazing supplemented by con- 

 centrated foodstuffs, all modify the conditions obtain- 

 ing, and favour some species that develop to the ex- 

 clusion of others. The farmer's problem is to adopt 

 those methods of treatment that shall in the shortest 

 time and at the least cost enable the species he wants 

 to crowd out those he does not want. In a certain 

 empirical way, methods are known that will more or 

 less do this, and Mr. Buchanan sets them out clearly 

 and concisely. 



The cheap cottage problem is intimately bound up 

 with the small holding movement. The very large 

 landowner may be prepared to put up cottages and 

 let them at a rent that brings in little or no in- 

 terest on the outlay, but Mr. Buchanan does 

 not think these "charity cottages," as he calls them, 

 viill solve the problem. He gives plans and 

 specifications of cottages at 500Z. the pair that 

 are suitable and comfortable, but as the rent 

 has to be 45. 6d, a week to make the outlay profit- 

 able, he arranges that a garden and pigsty can be 

 included, the profits of which shall pay the rent. Suit- 

 able hints are given to the cultivator, and also to the 

 owner of the estate. 



The book will be found very interesting and sug- 

 gestive not only to those concerned in small holdings, 

 but also to the cultivator and to those engaged in 

 agricultural education work E. J. R. 



NEW BOOKS ON CHEMISTRY. 



(i) Introduction to Practical Organic Chemistry, 

 including Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis 

 and Preparations. By Dr. A. M. Kellas. 

 Pp. viii + 204. (London : H. Frovvde and Hodder 

 and Stoughton, 1910.) Price 34-. 6d. net. 



(2) New Reduction Methods in Volumetric Analysis. 

 A Monograph. By Prof. E. Knecht and Eva Hib- 

 bert. Pp. X+108. (London: Longmans, Green, 

 and Co., 1910.) Price 35. net. 



(3) Introduction to General Chemistry. By Prof. 

 J. T. Stoddard. Pp. xviii + 432. (New York : The 

 Macmillan Co. ; London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 

 19 10.) Price 7,5. net. 



(i) 'T^HE "Introduction to Practical Organic 

 ■1. Chemistry " is divided into six sections. The 

 first section deals with qualitative tests, the second 

 with general laboratory operations ; the third with 

 preparations, the fourth and fifth with the analysis 

 of specific compounds, and the sixth with ultimate 

 organic analysis and molecular weight determinations. 



