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CURRENT LITERATURE 



BOOK REVIEWS 



The nature and development of plants 



Dr. Curtis' offers a new book with this title on a basis which must be regarded 

 by anyone attempting to judge its merits. It is not intended as a textbook, says 

 the author, but to give a point of view and to stimulate inquiry. A student who 

 is thoroughly acquainted with Principles of botany by Bergen and Dams would 

 discover by examination of this text, as w^ell as by reading the preface, that the 

 book is intended for one of more limited secondary training. That the majority 

 of college freshmen have in one way or another escaped or evaded adequate second- 

 ary training makes this effort by Dr. Curtis very acceptable and practical. The 

 author has used excellent judgment in the selection of material both for discussion 

 and for illustration. So far as possible, plants which the student is likely to see 

 or hear about are used. In order to awaken interest a narrative rather than an 

 expositional style prevails, and the economic significance of several important 

 features of plant life are emphasized in attractive connections. Associated with 

 this style and plan there is apparent an effort to stimulate originality and 

 independent reasoning. 



The book is structurally simple, being without even a complete table of con- 



perfectly 



The introduction develops a con- 



ception of the cell as the unit of structure and of protoplasm as the physical basis 

 of vital phenomena. Part I presents the outer and inner morphology of roots, 

 stems, leaves, etc.; while Part II traces the phylogeny of the four great groups 

 according to the older Exgler and Prantl classification. One is at once 

 impressed with 'the unusual excellence of the illustrations of which there are over 

 three hundred, in most cases original. 



If one searches for defects, and this a critic is supposed to do, 'instances of faulty 

 composition and inaccurate statement may be found. "The elements that com- 

 pose any substances are held together with great entrgy owing to their mutual 

 attraction for one another," is an unfortunate slip which disregards the numerous 

 unstable compounds. "The transmission of hereditary characters may be stated 



as follows. Everv fpatnrp of a nbnt or Minimal which we V 



cognize in distinguish 



them is due to hereditarj^ substances derived from the parents." To what extent 



be 



mental evidence, not overlooked in the text, which renders such a generalization 

 invalid. " The work of resuiration is carried on more economically by green plants 



* Curtis, Cari^ton C, Nature [and development of plants. 8vo. pp. 47^ 

 fii^- 34^' New York: Henry Hoh & Co. 1907, $2.50. 



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