CURRENT LITERATURE 



BOOK REVIEWS 



Handbook of trees 



Many attempts have been made to bring into popular form such descriptions 

 of our trees as would enable the amateur to recognize the various species at differ- 

 ent seasons. It has remained for Mr. Roaieyn B. Hough to produce a book that 

 adequately accomplishes this laudable purpose.^ But it does much more; it 

 brings to the forester, lumberman, cultivator, and botanist ahke such a compact 

 and comprehensive portrayal of the trees of the northern states and Canada as 

 has never before been at his service. 



As publisher of the well-known American woods, Mr. Hough has been much 

 in the field and has thus had opportunity to make the notable collection of photo- 

 graphs which make this Handbook unique. He has not been satisfied with 

 photographs of less than the highest quality. His pictures of leaves and fruits 

 stand out, without distracting shadows, on a background ruled in i-inch squares, 

 showing at a glance the relative size, whether the original print is much or little 

 reduced in making the fine half-tones for the book. 



Each of the 208 species is illustrated by a full-page plate showing a branchlet 

 with leaves and fruits, the latter usually dissected to show the seeds, and a twig 

 in winter condition; a cut about 2X5 inches, showing a medium -sized trunk, 

 with the normal appearance of the bark; 'and a small map of the United States 

 and British America showing by shading the distribution of the species. In 

 many cases there is in addition a cut about 2 inches square, showing a thin trans- 

 verse section, magnified 15 diameters, which would often enable one to identify 

 a doubtful piece of wood, ' These figures, admirably engraved and printed, are 

 set on t\vo facing pages, and in the small remaining space there is a letter -press 

 description of the species, both diagnostic and general. At the end there are 

 analytic keys and a glossary. 



We cannot think of an item which would contribute to greater completeness. 

 Ever)'thing that has been attempted seems to have been well planned and well 

 executed. The basis of nomenclature is not stated; but synonyms in "recent 

 works" are given. Of course much depends upon the accuracy of Mr. Hough's 

 identifications, but his long experience and the cooperation of other dendrologists 

 ought to insure that. The book may be commended as indispensable for public 

 and school libraries, for all students of trees, and for botanical laboratories. 

 Considering the labor it represents and the wealth of illustration, the price is 



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reasonable. — C, R. B. 



I Hough, R. B., Handbook of the trees of the northern states and Canada east 

 of the Rocky Mountains, Photo-descriptive. 8vo. pp. x + 470. figs. 4qS. Lowville, 

 N. Y. : The Author. $8 . 00. 



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