1903 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



number of diagrams are used and the various 

 methods given at considerable length. The 

 book closes with a historical sketch of the 

 work in each European country, and in Japan, 

 thus finishing an exhaustive treatise on all the 

 phases of European water regulation and re- 

 forestation in mountainous territory. 



Although it suggests tar too elaborate 

 methods for our conditions, the two volumes 

 should be of great value in the solving of 

 similar problems in America. This particu- 

 larly applies to the management of protection 

 forests and the correction of erosion. Some 

 of the pictures in these subjects show exactly 

 the same conditions as those in America, and 

 adaptations of the preventive measures there 

 suggested would undoubtedly be of practical 

 use. 



W. F. HUBBARD. 



Handbook of Climatology. By Dr. JULIUS 

 HANN, Professor of Cosmical Physics in 

 the University of Vienna and editor Jfe- 

 teorologischeZeitschrift. Translated, with 

 the author's permission, from the second 

 revised and enlarged German edition, with 

 additional references and notes by R. De 

 C. Ward, Assistant Professor of Clima- 

 tology, Harvard University. The Mac- 

 millan Company, New York. 1903. Pp. 

 437. Price, $3.00 net. 



Professor Ward gives us not merely a trans- 

 lation of this admirable work, but a volume 

 that contains many additions and improve- 

 ments, with a view of adapting it to American 

 needs. 



The work is especially rich in references. 

 Nearly every page contains a number of foot- 

 notes suggesting where the student may go for 

 further information. Chapter XI is devoted 

 to the "Influence of Forests on Climate." 

 While the author does not treat the subject 

 exhaustively, he presents an excellent sum- 

 mary of the present state of knowledge on the 

 subject. 



The book is timely and well in advance of 

 present text-books on climatology. 



Wood: A Manual of the Natural History and 

 Industrial Applications of the Timbers of 

 Commerce. By G. S. BOULGER, F. L. S., 

 F. G. S., F. R." H. S., A. S. I., Professor 

 of Botany and Lecturer on Forestry in the 

 City of London College, and formerly in 

 the Royal Agricultural College. Pp. 369. 

 Illustrated. London : Edward Arnold. 

 New York : Longmans, Green & Co., 1902. 

 Price, $2.60. 



The author does not claim perfect accuracy 

 or completeness for this work ; it is rather a 

 compilation of the most important facts relat- 

 ing to the subject and a collection of statistics 

 gathered from various parts of the world. 

 Originality is neither expected nor desirable. 

 In part I the origin, structure, development, 

 classification, defects, durability, and uses of 

 wood are discussed. The classification is 

 merely a general one, and is based both on 

 general appearance and microscopic structure, 

 and the chapter on defects is an exceedingly 



brief one, of no great practical value to Amer- 

 ican students. The uses of wood are described 

 in twenty pages. In the chapter on supplies 

 of wood the forest area of all the principal 

 countries of the world is given, with brief men- 

 tion of the principal timber trees. References 

 to North America are based principally on the 

 reports of Dr. B. E. Fernow (1886) and Prof. 

 Charles S. Sargent (1882) The author draws 

 the conclusions that in spite of substitutes the 

 use of wood increases with advancing popula- 

 tion and civilization ; that there is still in 

 many lands much waste and but little thought 

 for the future, and that although a dearth of 

 timber may be far distant a considerable en- 

 hancement in the price of the commoner kinds 

 may be expected. 



Part II, "Woods of Commerce, Their 

 Sources, Characters, and Uses," is by far the 

 most valuable part of the book. The descrip- 

 tion of each species is necessarily very brief 

 and incomplete, but nevertheless a collection 

 of such data for the whole world has consider- 

 able value and is of practical use for handy 

 reference. 



Home Floriculture. By EBEN E. REXFORD. 

 Pp. 300. Fully illustrated by drawings and 

 Photographs. Published by the Orange 

 Judd Company, New York and Chicago. 

 Price $1.00. 



This book is a familiar guide to the treatment 

 of ornamental and flowering plants for the 

 house and garden. Mr. Rexford has long been 

 an authority on floriculture for the amateur, 

 using that word in its true original sense, one 

 \vho does a thing for the love of it. He frankly 

 says that one who does not love flowers and who 

 does not have a certain "knack" with them 

 cannot succeed. But for one who will give care 

 and thought to the window garden or an out- 

 door one, this book will prove helpful and in- 

 structive. There are special chapters on various 

 phases of home floriculture, and full descrip- 

 tions of the most valuable plants, with attention 

 to their needs, treatment, and the vanquishing 

 of their enemies. 



Coupled with the painstaking details of the 

 text, so that no one need go wrong if directions 

 are heeded, there is also a charming literary 

 style, often wanting in works of this nature, and 

 an enthusiasm for the subject, which puts the 

 reader in full sympathy with the author and 

 strikes a bond of friendship at once. While it 

 is so written that it may be read through with 

 pleasure at one time, its value increases from 

 its qualities as a ready reference on any ques- 

 tion of home gardening which may arise, a 

 carefully prepared and exhaustive index adding 

 much to its worth. It is the best contribution 

 which has been made to the literature for the 

 amateur florist for many years. 



Our Northern Shrubs. By HARK i KT I.. K K i-XER. 

 Pp. 521. Illustrated by 205 full-page halt- 

 tones from photos and ;,.s pen-and-ink 

 drawings. Chas. SrribmTS Sons, NV\\ 

 York. Price, fa net (postage, 16 cents). 

 "Our Northern Shrubs" is planned upon 



the same lines as the author's de.-crvedly pop- 



