BOOK SHELF 405 



His aims were: (1) The improvement of old varieties of fruits, flowers, 

 grasses, trees, and vegetables. (2) The merging of wild or degenerate types 

 of plant life with tame or cultivated ones, in order that the union might be 

 of service to both. (3) The creation of absolutely new forms of life, unknown 

 to the world before, — the highest act of the plant breeder. 



The general character of Luther Burbank's work is included under two 

 heads: (1) Breeding, (2) Selection. His work differs from all other experi- 

 ments of this nature in the magnitude of the scale on which it is carried on, 

 thus he has accomplished the wonderful results which are narrated in the 

 later chapters of the book. 



The account of the creation of new trees especially the new types of walnuts 

 which in fourteen years grew six times as large as the old types had in thirty 

 years, attaining a height of eighty feet with trunks two feet in diameter, while 

 the grain remains hard, fine and compact, and takes a high polish, seems 

 incredible. 



The description of the transformation of the amaryllis and the poppy plants, 

 are paralleled by work done on lilies and the production of the Shasta Daisy; 

 and strangest of all seems the production from the Everlasting of a commercial 

 flower suitable for millinery purposes. His improvement of the potato, 

 experiments with it and the tomato and the development of a new fruit the 

 pomato are all described in a most interesting manner. 



Chief among the wonders recounted in this volume is the story of Mr. 

 Burbank's work on the cactus by which he expects to regenerate the earth's 

 waste places, and provide a new food for the world, for the new thornless 

 opuntias yield food that is palatable and niitrious for man and beast. 



Space is also devoted to his work with all varieties of berries and fruit trees; 

 the methods of breeding, grafting, commercial aspects of the work are also 

 described. A good description of Mr. Burbank's daily life, his personality, 

 his theories and conclusions, and his methods of keeping data, are included 

 in this truly interesting volume. 



L. S. T. 



The Teaching of Agriculture. Aretas W. Xolan, 277 pages, Houghton Mifflin 

 & Co. S1.30. Introduction by Eugene Davenport, Dean of the College 

 of Agriculture and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 University of Illinois. 

 To teachers of nature-study or agriculture, whether in the grades or in 

 high school, this book should prove interesting and very helpful. In his 

 preface the author says: "Agriculture in the public schools should have a 

 decided vocational aim. It should give to the student a degree of accurate: 

 knowledge and skill and familiarity with the best modern farm practice. 

 Agricultural education should guarantee that the future farmers be educated 

 country gentlemen who work with their hands, and gather about them the 

 best things that civilization affords." 



Because nature-study purposes to give the boy and girl in the earlier grades 

 of public school, that acquaintance with and interest in the natural world 

 which will furnish a basis for further study of the pure and applied sciences, 

 the author advocates beginning this study in the first grade, to give a general 



