356 



KNOWLEDGE & SCIENTIEIC NEWS. 



[Febkuaky, 1906. 



in our own country. At the end of the iSth century Germany 

 foresaw the importance of introducing certain American trees 

 into that country, about 300 species beinj; chosen. Some of 

 these have become established, and this booli gives an inter- 

 esting account of the experiments tried by the German 

 Government, and also of their failures, and the cause to which 

 failure was due. The question of tree-planting is likely to be 

 an important one in our own country, in view of the rapid 

 disappearance of our forests and woodlands, and the very 

 small amount of re-afforestation which takes place. Here 

 there is good work to be done. In the ranks of the unem- 

 ployed the necessary labour can be found. The institution of 

 " Arbor-Day " is a step in the right direction, but whatever is 

 done in the future, it will prove of great value to have a guide 

 as to what trees will, and what trees will not, be suitable by 

 way of increasing our own tree-flora, and in this useful work 

 there will be found a guide, from experience, ot what experi- 

 ments are likely to lead to failure, and what to success. 



The Central Tian-Shan Mountains, by Dr. Gottfried Merz- 

 bacher. Published under the authority of the Royal 

 Geographical Society (John Murray, pp. 285 ; 20 illus- 

 trations and folding maps ; price 12s. net). — This mag- 

 nificently-produced volume deals in detail with extensive 

 exploration of the Tian-Shan Range in the years 1902 

 and 1903. It does not profess to be an exhaustive account 

 either of the range or of Dr. Merzbacher's explorations, but it 

 is sufficient to give an idea of the magnificence of the heights 

 which he scaled, and the grandness of the glaciers which he 

 crossed or viewed. The illustrations are as a rule full page, 

 and are from very fine photographs. From the point of view 

 of the mountain-climber, the book is of intense interest. 



Elements of Mineralogy, by Frank Rutley, F.G.S. ; 14th 

 edition, revised and corrected. (London: Thomas Murby and 

 Co. ; pp. 251, illustrated.) — We welcome this edition of a well- 

 known manual, packed full with material valuable to the 

 mineralogical student. Particularly to be noted are five pages 

 of very clear diagrams illustrating the various systems of 

 crystallography, and the additional chapter on '■ Radio-.Active 

 Elements," by Ernest Howard Adye. 



The Fungus Flora of Yorkshire, by G. Massee, F.L.S., and 

 C. Crossland, P'.L.S. (London : A. Brown and Sons, Farring- 

 don Avenue; pp. 396.) — This book is an admirable summary 

 of work done during many years by members and friends of 

 the Yorkshire Naturalists' L'nion. It is modestly claimed that 

 the work is but a "contribution " to the subject of the fungus 

 fiora of Yorkshire. That may be so. but it should serve as an 

 example to other less active local natural history societies. 



The Preparation of Manuscripts for the Printer. By Frank H. 

 Vizetelly. (Funk & Wagnall's Company ; price 3s.) — Should be 

 a useful book, but as it is written for .-Xmerican readers there 

 is much that is not applicable in English practice, and is 

 therefore apt to confuse instead of enlighten. There are, 

 however, many hints and directions which are universally 

 applicable. 



Introductory Mathematics. By R. B. Morgan. (Blackie & 

 Son, Limited; price 2S.) — ''This little book is an attempt to 

 include in one cover all the .Algebra, Geometry, and Graphs a 

 bo}' ought to know before he can really be said to have done 

 more than obtain an introduction to Mathematics." Such is 

 the estimate of mathematical knowledge formulated in the 

 preface. It would be more correct to say that a boy must 

 grow up, and go to a university, and take a degree in mathe- 

 matical honours before he can be said to have done so much 

 as obtain an introduction to mathematics — unless that boy 

 happened to be "made in Germany," when he would be 

 initiated into what mathematics means a good deal earlier. 

 But apait from the question as to what mathematics really is, 

 the book appears to be a useful one. It consists mainly of 

 easy exercises in the rules of algebra, slotting on squared 

 paper and ruler and compass work. It thus embodies recent 

 methods of teaching in a book of somewhat more elementary 

 character than the majority. A few things might be improved, 

 thus, after giving a rule for the area of a right-angled triangle, 

 the author gives exercises in which the areas of figures made 

 up of right-angled triangles are found, not by the rule but by 



the rough and ready method of counting squares. But in his 

 examples the rule does not appear to be applied correctly, 

 several broken squares being omitted that ought to be counted, 

 and many counted that ought to be omitted. The results arc 

 not necessarily correct to the degree of approximation postu- 

 lated in requiring boj s to waste time in sharpening hard 

 pencils to chisel-points. This last requirement (tor which the 

 author is in no way responsible) is calculated to lead to mis- 

 chievous results later on, when boys ought to learn that the 

 best drawn figure is only approximate, and that verifications 

 by geometrical construction are not the same as proofs. But 

 it must be claimed that the book puts a boy in the right way 

 of getting a knowledge of what a great many people call 

 mathematics, and what it is important for everybody to 

 know. 



Wellcome's Photographic Exposure Record and Diary. (Bur- 

 roughs Wellcome and Co., London ; price is.) — To the many 

 who know this note book and diary it is only necessary to say 

 that the volume for this year retains all its well-known features, 

 while it is brought quite up-to-date in such tables as those of 

 plate speeds, and has an improvement or two that add to 

 the convenience with which it can be used. To any who have 

 not seen it, we may say that it is a pocket diary of convenient 

 dimensions and thin, one page to a week, with other blank 

 pages for memoranda, and ruled pages for the record of as 

 many negatives and prints as any photographer other than a 

 trade worker or professional portraitist is likely to need, be- 

 sides a great deal of letterpress information and an ingenious 

 exposure calculator. The general information of the ordinary 

 kind is compactly arranged, and the special information gives 

 such details as photographers are most likely to need, in- 

 cluding a system of judging the exposure necessary for making 

 a negative under almost all conceivable conditions. The 

 details of other photographic operations are given in terms 

 of the firm's well-known " tabloid " preparations, but the 

 directions are free from even the slightest evidence of a desire 

 to advise the use of chemicals when they are not wanted. 

 A photographer who needs elementary advice, or anyone 

 who wants to develop and print away from home, may be 

 assured that he will find sufficient information here. 



Nature in Eastern Norfolk, by Arthur H. Patterson" 

 (London : Melhuen and Co., 1905.) — Throughout the length 

 and breadth of the land the haunts of our native birds are 

 being steadily and swiftly encroached upon. Game pre- 

 serving, drainage, and the builder have done, and are doing, 

 a deadly woik, and those of us who find delight in the wild- 

 places of nature are left lamenting. Time was, when Norfolk 

 was a veritable Avian Paradise. To-day, we turn sorrow- 

 fully to the remnant that is left us, wondering how long even 

 these will succeed in holding their own. This being so, it is 

 fortunate Ihat in these evil times there should have arisen an 

 observer like Mr. Patterson. With the zeal of the enthusiast 

 he has gathered together a rich harvest of facts relating to 

 the " good old days " from the lips of the grey-beards who 

 passed their time amid these vanished and vanishing birds 

 and their haunts. Of these old men some have passed the 

 '■ harbour bar " already, while the survivors are being coaxed 

 by the author into making him the repository for their remem- 

 brance of happier da3's. How much they have to tell that 

 is worth knowing those who have read Mr. Patterson's earlier 

 book, reviewed in these columns a few months since, will pro- 

 bably rememfier with pleasure. The volume which he has 

 just given ns may be regarded as a supplement to this. And 

 it is in every way a worthy supplement. It is this, and some- 

 thing more ; for it is packed with most valuable field-notes of 

 their author's own making : shrewd observation, tersely ex- 

 pressed, on birds, beasts and fishes. It is altogether a 

 charming book, tastefully bound, and well illustrated. 



W. P. P. 



Eggs of British Birds, by W. J. Gordon. (London : Simpkin, 

 Marshall and Co.) — It is impossible to say anything favourable 

 of this book. The coloured plates are crude; the writing is 

 slipshod, while the list of " British Birds, Past and Pretent," 

 seems designed rather to fill up space than to serve any useful 

 purpose. But worse than all, purchasers will find that " par- 

 ticulars as to the measurement, colour, and occurrence of the 

 eggs " will be found in another book 1 ! ! W. P. P. 



