BOOK REVIEWS 129 



that all sorts of activities may be worked into the beautiful 

 substance which is life.' 



Beginnings in Agriculture, Albert R. Mann. The Macmillan 

 Co. pp XII and 341. $0.75. 



In his preface the author states that "This book is designed 

 for the puipose of introducing the study of agriculture into the 

 seventh and eighth grades of our elementary schools. * * * 

 It has been the aim of the author to cover the work very large- 

 ly in a nature study spirit." A school garden is a desired 

 accessory. Field topics are strongly urged. 



The opening chapter is on "the community in which I live." 

 This is commendable. Xature-study properly stays at home. 

 Chapter two is on home geography. These chapters are brief but 

 suggestive. Part I aims at a survey of the whole field of agri- 

 culture and is simple, readable and practical because of the 

 problems under each topic. These problems are a feature of 

 the book, running all through it. Part II is on the soil, 50 

 pages; part III, farm plants, 128 pages; part I\', farm animals, 

 95 pages. The book is intended to be used as a text for two 

 years work and so used it should be an exceedingly serviceable 

 text book. It is clearly written in language the school boy 

 will readily comprehend, is attractively illustrated and is accur- 

 ate in its statements of fact. The book would be improved 

 from a pedagogical standpoint, at least in the eyes of a nature- 

 study enthusiast, if the problems given at the end of the chapters 

 came at the beginning, so as to make emphatic to the average 

 teacher that the child should be drilled in drawing his own 

 conclusions from his own observations. 



The Social Direction of Human Evolution: An Outline of 

 the Science of Eugenics, by Wm. E. Kellicott, D. Appleton & Co. 

 249 pp. $1.50. 



We have learned much of heredity and its laws in the last 

 few years, and are constantly adding to our fund of information. 

 What has been discovered is in use by the practical breeder 

 of plants and animals. Each new addition to the stock of 

 knowledge in this field is appropriated with avidity. Here is a 

 clear statement of the laws of heredity as we now know them 

 and their application to the problem of improving the human race. 

 The book is an elaboration of three lectures delivered at Oberlin 



