290 



NATURE 



[January 25, 1894 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY FOR EXTEN- 

 SION ISTS. 



An Ele'i'eiitary Text-Book on Agricultural Botany. By 

 M. C. Potter, M.A. Small 8vo. Pp. 250, with ninety- 

 nine illustrations in the text. (London: Methuen and 

 Co., 1893-) 



THIS is a very good little book up to a certain point, 

 but it is neither better nor worse than the general 

 run of elementary works on botany, in which there is an 

 attempt lo cover the whole field. The physiological and 

 anatomical parts are the best ; yet we see no reason why 

 the title should be "Agricultural Botany." Indeed, we 

 fear the author has been a little too ambitious ; laudably 

 ambitious, perhaps, though wanting the practical know- 

 ledge necessary to achieve his object — not that it is one 

 within easy reach. This is an extract from his preface : 

 " My aim in these few pages has been to lay a foundation 

 which may serve to guide the future operations in the 

 field, and form a basis for intelligent trial and experiment. 

 In these days of competition and struggle for existence, 

 every little tells, and the farmer who, understanding, can 

 apply his knowledge, is more likely to succeed than one 

 who labours without the advantage of this knowledge." 



No doubt a man would not necessarily be a worse 

 farmer because he possessed some knowledge of 

 vegetable physiology, nutrition, or even classification, and 

 he might possibly derive a more intelligent enjoyment — 

 if there be any left — from his occupation ; but if he knew 

 all the botany in Mr. Potter's book, and all that is not in 

 his book, we doubt whether he would be any nearer 

 making farming pay, which is the main object, after all, 

 of the majority of those who engage in the pursuit. 

 Success in farming does not depend so much on scientific 

 knowledge as on practical knowledge. Science has 

 doubtless done much to advance farming — especially 

 mechanical science ; and we should be the last to dis- 

 courage making botany a subject of study for the budding 

 farmer. But we think the macroscopic side is too much 

 neglected in favour of the microscopic side. For in- 

 stance, we sought the distinctions between rye {Secale) 

 and barley {Hordcum) ; but although the anatomical 

 structure of the stem of the former is described and 

 illustrated in some detail, it is not included in the chapter 

 on grasses where the floral structure is described. In the 

 description of the natural order Leguminoste, it is stated 

 that the fruit is always composed of a single carple ; that 

 the leaves are never opposite ; and that the seeds are 

 always destitute of endosperm. It is unnecessary to 

 give examples disproving these statements. On the next 

 page the flowers of the sub-order Coesalpineee {sic) are 

 said to resemble the Papilionaceas, but to differ in having 

 the standard inside the wings. There is one element of 

 truth in this. The nature and extent of the information 

 given under some of the genera of Leguminosje may be 

 gathered from the following : Sarothamnus—thQ broom 

 is common on sandy waste lands. Ononis— 2, small 

 plant with pink flower, commonly known as the rest 

 harrow. There are two species, one with spines and one 

 without. Looking under Pisum, we discover that P. 

 arvense, the field pea, is not mentioned. Under Vicia, 

 the tare, V. sativa, is described as having a weak stem, 

 partly erect, and purple flowers, often in pairs ; with the 

 NO. 1265, VOL. 49] 



further information that it is often cultivated. In short,, 

 this part of the book needs thorough revision before it 

 can be considered as useful or satisfactory. At half a 

 dozen other places where we opened the pages, we 

 noticed the same incompleteness and want of precision. 



THE PRINCIPLES OF HOSPITAL CON- 

 STRUCTION. 



Healthy Hospitals : Observations on some Points con- 

 nected with Hospital Constrtection. By Sir Douglas 

 Galton, K.C B., F.R.S., &c. (Oxford: The Clarendon 

 Press.) 



THE object of this book, as its author, Sir Douglas 

 Galton, tells us, is to bring together the principles 

 of hospital construction which now lie scattered through 

 various publications, and to show what points are essen- 

 tial to health in hospital establishments. This task has 

 been admirably fulfilled by the author, and we cannot 

 but recognise the skilful manner in which jfrom chaos 

 he has brought together and condensed in the small 

 compass of 282 pages such a vast amount of useful 

 information. 



Sir Douglas Galton has already a high reputation for 

 the application of scientific methods to the construction 

 of barracks and hospitals. Few men have had larger 

 opportunities of acquiring such knowledge in the public 

 service, and very few have been able to investigate the 

 questions involved so thoroughly as the author of 

 " Healthy Hospitals," whose zeal has induced him to 

 visit every place, as well in America as on the conti- 

 nent, where he could obtain sound practical knowledge 

 on the subject by personal observation and inquiry. We 

 therefore gladly welcome this book, which is the outcome 

 of his great experience. 



In the preliminary chapter Sir Douglas Galton enters 

 very briefly into the historical part of his subject, and 

 dates the great improvement in the construction of hos- 

 pitals from the close of the Crimean War, the American 

 War of Secession, and the Franco-German War of 

 1870-71. 



He subsequently lays down the first principles on which 

 the successful treatment of disease depends, the selection 

 of site, the conditions of air supply, of warming, lighting, 

 and water supply. Many of the rules laid down are of 

 course not new, but they are nevertheless valuable, and 

 bear to be repeated and emphasised. 



The rules to be followed are defined so clearly and 

 concisely, that it becomes a simple matter to apply them 

 in a practical form. The chapter on site is one that will 

 at a glance show the importance of the subject, and at 

 the same time the difficulties it often has to contend 

 with. Many errors are pointed out which have been 

 committed in the selection of plans for some of the large 

 hospitals in England and on the continent. This is one 

 of the most important and best chapters in the work 

 before us. 



In the chapters on the constitution and movements of 

 the ail", and on ventilation and warming, which are 

 dependent in a great degree on these changes, the author 

 enters very fully into the consideration of these important 

 subjects. He accepts De Chaumont's standard as the 



