i) 
is) 
INE AIM OIE: 
| JANUARY 3, 1907 
trict had become exhausted by use and evaporation, 
and the livestock were dying, while the women and 
children were beseeching the conductor of the Govern- 
ment water train—sent for the use of the line re- 
pairers’ camp—to give them water. Along the dried- 
up beds of creeks and lagoons, miles of bleached bones 
of dead cattle and sheep lay exposed to view. The 
poor brutes, in their intense suffering, had ventured 
for a drink of the last water left, and sinking down, 
weak and helpless, had perished in the vain attempt 
to quench their dying thirst. Overhead a scorching 
sun was shining like molten brass, and the heat 
waves of the atmosphere rendered the eyesight power- 
less to define objects at a distance; all vegetation lay 
withered. The birds dropped gasping from _ the 
trees. The experience of that drought was sufficient 
to impress any man, engineer or other, with the need 
of finding a remedy.”’ 
The process of sinking artesian wells for irrigation 
is fully and practically described, from those of shallow 
depth that can be sunk by hand labour, to the more 
extensive and deeper sinkings that penetrate to a 
depth of 6000 feet, and require the use of a 50 h.p. 
engine, and cables for raising and lowering the drills 
which weigh 6} tons; the cost running up to 8oool. 
The question of irrigation and the distribution of 
water, treatment of alkaline water, and drainage are 
dealt with in separate chapters. In the appendix the 
statistics are given of the public artesian borings 
with their depths and yield. It shows that these 
range from 46 feet in depth and a yield of gooo gallons 
a day to 4086 feet and a yield of 1,000,000 gallons a 
day, the highest temperature of the water flowing out 
being 135° F. 
This book should be of great service to colonists 
settled in arid districts. 
Through the Telescope. By James Baikie. Pp. 
xv+292. (London: A. and C. Black.) Price 5s. 
net. 
Tuts handsomely illustrated volume bears the impress 
of having been written by a practical observer who 
has suffered all the little worries and difficulties in- 
evitably encountered by the amateur astronomer in 
his days of inexperience and meagre instrumental 
equipment. Whilst treating of the sun, moon, 
planets, &c., in special chapters Mr. Baikie writes of 
things he has observed and of difficulties he has over- 
come. 
The two opening chapters deal with the telescope, 
first from the historical, secondly from the practical 
standpoint. The latter may be heartily recom- 
mended to beginners, who by carefully digesting and 
mentally assimilating it may save themselves much 
worry and, mayhap, expense. We question, how- 
ever, whether some of the advice is not a little too 
detailed; some things are better left to actual ex- 
perience, others to common sense, e.g. the instruc- 
tion on p. 44 for the observer to wrap up well and 
keep his feet warm. 
The phenomena of the celestial bodies are described 
in plain language, interspersed with practical hints 
as to observing them, which cannot fail to help the 
beginner in ‘‘star-gazing,’’ and, if he follows the 
author’s advice, in the specialised study of some par- 
ticular class of objects. 
The historical narrative in each case is lucid and 
instructive, although there are notable omissions of 
important work. The two appendices containing the 
designations and brief descriptions of ‘‘lunar form- 
ations’’ and ‘‘double stars, clusters and nebulz 
which may be fairly well seen with instruments up to 
3 inches in aperture ’’ form a valuable addition to 
this volume. We BOR: 
NO. 1940, VOL. 75] 
The British Journal Photographic Almanac and 
Photographer’s Daily Companion, 1907. Edited by 
George E. Brown. (London: Henry Greenwood 
and Co., n.d.) 
Tuts annual is so well known to our photographic 
readers, that in dealing with the present issue we 
can say that the volume, as in former years, maintains 
its high position as a mine of photographic inform- 
ation. In fact, its presence in every studio becomes 
year by year more necessary, for as a book of refer- 
ence on almost every photographic manipulation it is 
most valuable. 
In the present issue one of the features which has 
attracted our special attention is the excellent editorial 
article bringing together brief summaries of the 
various three-colour photographic printing processes. 
To-day the subject of printing in colours is so absorb- 
ing the time of many ardent workers that such a 
survey of the various processes in use is very oppor- 
tune. Another section which will be read with much 
profit is the epitome of progress. Here we have 
brought to our notice a classified summary of the 
advances made in the numerous branches of photo- 
graphy during the past twelve months. The matter 
is arranged under various subheads, such as ‘‘ Appar- 
atus and Equipment,’’ ‘‘ Photographing Various Sub- 
jects,’’ ‘‘ Negative Processes,’’ *‘ Printing Processes,”’ 
and ‘‘ Colour Photography,’’ so that for purposes of 
reference any particular subject can be easily found. 
As in former years, the formula for the principal 
photographic processes and of the principal plate and 
paper makers, useful miscellaneous information, and. 
numerous tables complete the volume. Very complete 
indices add greatly to the utility of the work. 
British Flowering Plants. By W. F. Kirby. Pp. 
viit+215. (London: S. Appleton, 1906.) Price 5s. 
net. 
THERE are many pleasing features in this small book 
that treats of flowering plants in a popular way. The 
illustrations, if a trifle over-coloured, are character- 
istic, and the author describes the plants in a suffi- 
ciently technical manner to permit of their identifi- 
cation; on the other hand, the book hardly gives an 
adequate idea of the importance of the different orders, 
and so many foreign plants are selected for illustra- 
tion that the most popular method of determination is 
not provided for commoner British plants. 
The title furnishes no indication of the most useful 
information in the boolx afforded by the numerous 
notes which the author has added from his own 
special branch of natural history, relating to the 
insects that frequent plants either for destruction or 
indirectly for construction. This information is of 
value alike to the botanist and the entomologist, and 
the observer who proceeds to verify the references to 
plant-visiting insects is likely to obtain a deeper in- 
sight into the structure and ways of flowers than is 
necessary for mere identification. The introduction is 
not a botanical success and requires careful revision. 
The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and 
Burma. Coleoptera. Vol. i. (Cerambycidz). By 
C. J. Gahan. Pp. xviii+329. (London: Taylor 
and Francis, 1906.) 
THE series to which this volume is the latest addition 
is being published with the authority of the Secretary 
of State for India in Council under the editorship of 
Lieut.-Colonel C. T. Bingham. The present bools is 
only the first part of the contemplated volume ; another 
part, which will give an account of the Lamiidz, is 
to be published later. Other volumes on Indian 
| Coleoptera will follow in due course. 
