REVIEW'S. 



CHF-MISTKV. 



Tniiiiiphs and Wonders of iJoilcnt Chemistry. — By 



Geoffri;v Martin, B.Sc. M.Sc. Ph.D. 358 pages. 



76 illustrations. S-in. X 5:l-in. 



(Sampson Low. Marston & Co. Price 7 6 net.l 



No one need accnse Chemistry of being a dry subject after 

 reading this bool< of Dr. Martin, with its wealth of illustrative 

 detail and its power of stimulating the imagination of ihe 

 reader. Obviously it has not been written with the aim of 

 scoring marks in the examination schools, and the author is 

 therefore at liberty to dwell upon matters of interest which 

 would not " pay " if regarded from that utilitarian point of view. 

 There is nothing in the book that need be beyond the grasp of 

 those who have no previous knowledge of chemistry, while the 

 chetnist may learn much by reading the author's vivid 

 descriptions of the most recent chemical theories and their 

 industrial applications. 



The book opens with a chapter upon the mystery of matter, 

 in which are ably summarised the principal theories as to 

 nature of the atoms, and this is followed by chapters dealing 

 with the properties of the atoms, the evolution of the elements, 

 and the nature of chemical reaction. 



Then come separate chapters upon water, air and some of 

 the principal elements, including hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, 

 sulphur, carbon and phosphorus, and the book concludes with 

 an admirable account of fire, flame, and the principles of 

 spectroscopic examination. .As instances of the manner in 

 which the book has been brought up-to-date it may be 

 mentioned that the latest theories upon radio-activity are 

 discussed, and that there is a capital description with 

 illustrative photographs of the industrial methods of fixing 

 nitrogen from the air. 



Quotations from the poets and from the whole range of 

 ancient and modern literature are found in plenty all through 

 the book, and help not a little in the author's successful 

 endeavour to make the science a living thing. If we may 

 venture upon a criticism, however, we cannot help feeling that 

 in many cases the author's illustrative analogies fall wide of 

 the mark. For example, the comparison between the combin- 

 ations of atoms in a chemical reaction with the coming 

 together of the partners in a ballroom appears forced, and 

 does not help to make the subject any clearer. The book is 

 abundantly illustrated with excellent photographs, and with 

 numerous sketches. It is a pity that most of the latter are 

 out of drawing and in a future edition the author would be 

 well advised to have them redrawn by an artist. 



These are minor drawbacks, however, and taking the book 

 as a whole we can warmly recommend it either as a present 

 that will give pleasure to a boy or a girl, or as a reliable and 

 most readable source of information for everyone who is 

 anxious to know something of the constitution of the world in 

 which we li\e. ,- < m 



The Plmsc Rule and its App!icatii>ns. — By .\. KindlaV, 



M..-\., U.Sc. Text Books of Physical Chemistry. j56 pages, 



134 illustrations. 7A-in.x5-in. 



(Longmans. Green & Co. Price 6 -.) 



For the information of the non-chemical reader it may be 

 explained that according to the phase rule of the late Professor 

 (iibbs, the conditions of equilibrium in a given system of 

 substances depend upon the relationship between the number 

 of phases and of components simultaneously present. For 

 example, ice, water and water vapour are different pliascs of 



the same substance — water; and may co-exist as different 

 phases in a system. 



When first the phase rule, which has proved so fruitful of 

 result in the study of solution and chemical re.iction. was 

 enunciated, it was expressed in such mathematical terms as to 

 be grasped only by those with a mathematical training, and 

 the author of this book is to be congratulated upon the very 

 lucid way in which he has presented a complex subject in a 

 non-mathematical shape. Every step is made abundantly 

 clear and each difficulty is smoothed away, and the student of 

 chemistry or metallurgy whose work invoh'es a knowledge of 

 this branch of physical chemistry cannot do better than 

 procure a copy of this exceedingly useful text book. It has 

 deservedh' reached its third edition, and has been brought 

 up-to-date, so as to embody the results of the most recent 

 researches upon such subjects as the metastability of metals. 



C. A. M. 

 BOT.AXY. 



Bntisli Plants — Their Tiii>logv and Ecologv- — By J. F. 



Bevis. B..A.. B.Sc, and H. j". Jeffery, A.R.C.Sc.,' F.L.S. 



334 pages. 115 illustrations. 5i-in. X Sil-in. 



(.Alston Risers. Price 4 6 net.l 



Botany, possibly because of its general popularity, suffers 

 by reason of many students restricting their attention to 

 morphology, and paying but little heed to the physiology of 

 plant life. To enable botany to take its proper place in 

 education it must be regarded as a branch of biological 

 science and the struggle between the plant and its environment 

 must be studied. 



Messrs. Bevis and Jeffery have produced a book which 

 supplements the elementary text-book and the flora, and assists 

 the student to associate form with function and function with 

 environment. The first part deals with the fundament.al 

 external factors — water, temperature, light, air and soil ; then 

 follows a physiological section in which plants are considered 

 with regard to functional similarities. The final part is the 

 most suggestive, dealing as it does with plant associations 

 and the exolution and distribution of the British flora. A 

 careful study of this book will give the student a new point of 

 view and a new interest in solving the \arious problems 

 concerning the habitat of plants as well as the aggregation 

 of individuals into counnunities. 



H. H. P. 



NATCRE STUDY. 



Methodical Xiitnre Stndy. — By W. J. Claxton. 195 

 pages. i(J plates. Numerous figures. 6i-in. X8viu. 



(Blackie lS: Son. Price 6 -.) 



( )ne of the objections which those who wallow in the 

 academical rut have to Nature Study is that it is not 

 systematised sufficiently to fall in with their ideas. The title 

 of the book under consideration should therefore please them 

 though too much method in Nature teaching would destroy 

 most of its advantages. In so far as the recurrence of the 

 seasons is followed, and continued observations on the 

 same material is advocated, Mr. Claxton's book is to be 

 connnended. The general treatment is a little too much like 

 botanical and zoological text books in places ; in others it is very 

 sketchy, and occasionally inaccurate. What does the author 

 mean by the mollusc's tongue being in a very rudimentary 

 state ? For it is a most effective instrument, as the gardener 

 only too well knows. We should like also to know why the 

 carnivorous slug Testacella should be " a great pest in a 

 garden which contains dahlias." No doubt teachers will get 



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