2 54 



NATURE 



[AUGU 



.sT 25, I910 



deserves to be more widely known, for as a compendium 

 of all that is latest and best in agricultural research it is 

 far in advance of most of its compeers. The book is 

 divided into parts dealing with the farm, chemical analysis, 

 zoology, botany, veterinary work, and general notes. 

 Where so much is good it is ditlicult to do more than 

 merely direct attention to some of the most striking por- 

 tions of the book. A masterful article on the financial 

 aspect of sheep-washing will well repay perusal, and the 

 splendid series of plates illustrative of sheep-shearing are 

 so lucid as to be self-explanatory. 



The report on zoology .deals mainly with entomology, and 

 is illustrated very fully by many striking plates, one of 

 which is of especial .interest, showing as it does female 



of spray for Bordeaux mixture are interesting. In addition 

 to the American gooseberry mildew, the somewhat neglected 

 but no less prevalent Sclerotinia (Botrylis), "die back," 

 of the same plant is described. 



In the previous issue of the journal attention was directed 

 to the importance of the male plant in the growing out of 

 hops, and it appears that the advice tendered in the article 

 in question has borne good fruit, and that several Kentish 

 hop-growers have obtained good results by retaining, or 

 even planting, male hops, 'the veterinary report, always 

 interesting, is especially so in this issue on account of the 

 announcement of the termination of a long series of 



struck sheep " experiments, and llio probable discovery 

 of a preventive treatment. 



1. — Female M.irch Moth 

 bene:>th one of the Lackey Moth ( 

 eastern .\gricuhui-al Colleg-. 



March moths laying their eggs in proximity to the egg- 

 band of a lackey moth. That insidious pest Tylenchus 

 devastatrix receives attention, and further notes are 

 promiseiJ for the next report. A very interesting article on 

 the British Culicidaj concludes one of the most fascinating 

 portions of the book. 



In addition to the general analytical work, the analytical 

 report deals, for the most part, with soya-bean cake and 

 meal. Economic mycology and experiments on hops form 

 the chief 'items in the' botanical report. It is interesting 

 to note that the good work carried on at Wve in dealing 

 with .American gooseberry mildew, apple "scab," and 

 " black scab " of potatoes, is being continued. The notes 

 on the making and application of Bordeaux mixture, with 

 notes on Bordeaux injury, illustrated by no fewer than 

 twenty-three plates, will be greatlv appreciated by fruit- 

 growers. Two plates showing the 'right and wrong kinds 



.1 College 



^eberry Branch, showing the Botrytis fructification 

 From the Journal of the South-eastern Agri- 



NO. 2130, VOL. 84] 



The general notes consist of a summary of the college 

 events of the year, and will appeal to all old students. 

 To those who desire to keep abreast of the times in matters 

 agricuhural the journal is indispensable. C. .-\. E. 



THE BICENTENARY OF THOMAS SIMPSON. 

 /^ N August 20 occurred the bicentenary of the birth of 

 ^-^ Thomas Simpson, who may be regarded as one of 

 the last of the English school of mathematicians of the 

 eighteenth century. Newton, Halley, the Gregories, 

 Muston, Demoivre, Brook Taylor, Maclaurin, had all 

 passed away before Simpson reached iniddle age, and the 

 study of mathematics in England was entering upon that 

 period of stagnation which left us without a single mathe- 

 matician in any way comparable with the great writers on 

 the Contini^nt. 



Simpson was the son of a Leicestershire weaver, and was 



