CURRENT LITERATURE 



367 



Doctor Fernow's volume is a substantial 

 one, comprehensive in substance and well il- 

 lustrated. In his introductory chapter the 

 author disclaims the presentation of new 

 knowledge. His book, he says, is "mainly 

 a compilation of the well-known facts which 

 bear upon the subject." In his arrange- 

 ment and inclusion of material, the author 

 acts upon the belief "that a knowledge of 

 the nature of trees is necessary to care for 

 them properly." In view of Doctor Fernow's 

 scientific habit of mind, we are not sur- 

 prised to find him making a very important 

 distinction which is often lost sight of : "The 

 care of shade and ornamental trees is an 

 entirely different matter from the care of 

 forests. It is unfortunate that the distinc- 

 tion has not always been clearly perceived. 

 The object of forestry is the substance of the 

 tree ; only when the tree is cut and its wood 

 utilized, is the object of the forester attained; 

 he grows trees, not to be preserved, but to be 

 harvested. Hence, to call the tree-wardens of 

 towns and cities 'foresters' is a misnomer. 

 The tree that satisfies the forester is most 

 unsatisfactory to the landscape gardener or 

 street planter, and vice versa. The latter ar- 

 boriculturists are after shade or beauty of 

 form, hence their treatment of trees is en- 

 tirely different from that of the forester, al- 

 though, to secure the object in either case, 

 the nature and life history of trees must be 

 understood. On the other hand, no more 

 fitting title, no better description of the 

 duties of those who are set to care for 

 our roadside trees or our city trees in street 

 and park could be invented than that of 

 'tree warden,' a most expressive, dignified, 

 and honorable designation." 



In the second chapter the characteristic 

 structure and life of trees are considered, 

 the subject being presented in a simple, non- 

 technical way. There are two chapters on 

 diseases of trees. The first is a general dis- 

 cussion of old age, general causes of dis- 

 ease, fungus diseases, and damage by insects. 

 The second is devoted to diagnosis of dis- 

 eases, _ treating insect damage, fungus, and 

 bacterial diseases, physiological diseases, ef- 

 fect of soil conditions, atmospherical influ- 

 ence, obnoxious gases, electric currents, light 

 conditions, and mechanical injuries. The 

 next chapter is an important one, covering 

 the field of control of physiological diseases 

 and treatment of mechanical injuries, and the 

 general care of trees. Here are considered 

 such topics as soil improvement, fertilizing, 

 grading, pruning and trimming, manner of 

 operation, callusing and repairing, treatment 

 of street trees, care of aged trees, and quack 

 medicines. 



In connection with this last chapter, we 

 note one omission. There are numerous cuts 

 illustrating most of the types of tree tools, 

 and there is a page of comment upon them 

 too little, perhaps, for a subject upon which 



the amateur at least needs specific informa- 

 tion. But this paragraph, although it has a 

 heading, is not included in the synoptical con- 

 tents, nor is a reference found in the index. 



In the too brief paragraph on quack medi- 

 cines we do not find mention of the proved 

 fact, which Professor George E. Stone, of 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural College, has 

 discussed at length, of the injuries to trees 

 from banding substances, nor does Doctor 

 Fernow mention this. Doctor Stone has 

 shown that several substances on the market 

 for banding are distinctly injurious and 

 should be avoided. 



Chapter six deals with the control of para- 

 sites, that great army of fungus and insect 

 enemies that preys in these days on nearly 

 all of our most valued ornamental trees. This 

 is a most important subject and is treated 

 briefly, but perhaps as adequately as could 

 be expected in a general work not devoted 

 to this particular subject. There is a very 

 valuable chapter on "Care in Planting Trees," 

 a subject on which the author is quite at 

 home. It is treated clearly and concisely. 

 There is a short chapter on "Esthetic For- 

 ests, or Woodland Parks," an interesting field 

 of discussion in which the forester, the land- 

 scape gardener, and the tree expert come 

 together -on a common ground in which the 

 functions of each are not clearly separated. 

 There are 126 pages devoted to the choice 

 of plant material. This matter is very 

 helpful. It consists of practical suggestions 

 regarding the selection of the most desirable 

 trees and shrubs and with this a list of 

 trees and shrubs, with brief descriptions and 

 notes. The author explains this chapter at 

 its beginning by saying : "Although this book 

 is not designed to be a guide in the laying 

 out and planting of grounds, it seemed, nev- 

 ertheless, germane and desirable to add a 

 chapter on the selection of plant material, in- 

 asmuch as the after care is to some extent 

 influenced by the original choice of trees." 

 The list seems to be well .selected, con- 

 veniently arranged, and contains in very con- 

 cise form the most important information on 

 the shade tree required by the planter and 

 gardener. The book has quite an extensive 

 index, although beyond the omission which 

 has already been noted we have not ex- 

 amined it as to completeness. There is also 

 a brief list of books on related subjects. This 

 list contains twenty-six separate titles and a 

 number of general books on landscape gar- 

 dening, which are grouped together. Most 

 of the titles are those of bulletins published 

 by United States experiment stations, but 

 there are a few larger and more complete 

 volumes. 



We are very glad that this book has been 

 provided for the use of tree lovers. It was 

 much needed, and it is very fortunate that 

 an authority like Doctor Fernow could find 

 opportunity to fill this need so satisfactorily. 



