College 

 Library 



NOTE 



IT is now some years since expectation became prevalent of 

 an English edition of Professor Warming's book Plantesamfund. 

 Nothing need now be said about the difficulties opposing its pro- 

 duction, because Professor Warming has solved them happily by 

 writing for the Delegates of the Oxford Press this present book, 

 founded upon his original Danish work. To the manuscript, as 

 it has been prepared by and received from Professor Warming 

 at intervals, Professor Groom has applied with untiring patience 

 his skill in interpretation and in apt expression, and the book 

 as it now appears is therefore not an English edition of a foreign 

 book as are others of the botanical series issued by the Dele- 

 gates of the Oxford Press, but is ' practically a new work ', as 

 the author himself designates it. 



The book is a valuable addition to botanical literature, and 

 will appeal to a wide audience. Its subject, Oecology, is the field 

 in which the botanical morphologist, physiologist, and systema- 

 tist happily meet, and to them this statement of the views of 

 a pioneer and leader in oecological work will be welcome. Those 

 whose interests lie in the practical application of a knowledge 

 of plant life in the several domains of rural economy Agriculture, 

 \ Horticulture, Forestry will find in the matters treated in the 

 oook the clue to many of the problems which they meet with. 

 Teachers within whose sphere it lies to encourage a study of 

 fature will find its pages full of information and suggestion to 

 guide them. Students of Botany will glean from it sound instruc- 

 tion in a subject which now occupies a prominent place in 

 botanical teaching. Every one, indeed, for whom the varying 

 aspects of vegetation have interest will obtain by perusal of 

 the book new lights by which that interest may be increased. 

 Perhaps in no way will the value of the book be greater than as 



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