IV Supplement to “ Nature,” May 2, 1912. 
ing, and should illustrate the text. We have 
little fault to find here in any of the five, but we 
much prefer the method of presentation which 
affixes explanatory notes (Herbertson, Davies) at 
the foot of the photographs, to that which leaves 
the reader to discover for himself why such and 
such a picture is in the book at all (McCallum, 
Brown). 
Another feature of merit is the numerous exer- 
cises and questions which the two class geo- 
graphies contain. Obviously these would be out 
of place in the scheme of the county geo- 
graphies. Mr. Wallis has culled his from the 
examination papers of the world, from the Uni- 
versities of the Panjab and Sydney, as well as 
from Oxford and Cambridge. Nevertheless, we 
think many of the questions require editing. Those 
of the type, ‘‘ How far is the term clay vale a 
satisfactory name for the country between the 
oolitic and chalk ridges?’ ‘‘ How far is it con- 
tinuous? ’’ ‘‘ What geographical advantages led 
to the growths of Ely, Peterborough, and Col- 
chester? ’’ (Herbertson) are unimpeachable. They 
require short, concise answers, and are capable 
of diagrammatic illustration. But ‘Write a short 
account of the climate and products of X,” or 
“Write a short note on China ’’ (Wallis) we do 
not like. They invite sketchy, scrappy answers. 
Contrast (also in Wallis) ‘‘ Select any one coal- 
field in the British Isles. Show its position on 
a rough sketch map, together with the nearest 
iron-ore district, and three or four towns which 
have profited by the existence of the two 
“fields.’’’ Exercises of this type are capital 
practice for examinations, which end both Mrs. 
Herbertson and Mr. Wallis have evidently kept 
in view. Indeed, the student who will conscien- 
tiously work through either of these two works 
should fear nothing in the way of a geography 
examination. If, for example, he learns how to 
analyse the position, or importance, of towns 
(cf. Herbertson on Belfast, p. 243), or industrial 
districts (ib. on the Newcastle-Durham coalfield, 
p. 181), he has made one great step towards floor- 
ing any modern examination paper. 
It is from this point of view that the three 
coun, ,eographies differ entirely from the larger 
No one would read them with the ‘‘ ex- 
” eye. They are too sketchy, for one 
thing, and, though drawn up on a uniform plan, 
differ considerably in the handling of it. The 
idiosyncrasies of the various authors account for 
this. ‘* Buckinghamshire ’’ is strong on architec- 
ture and botany, ‘‘ Northamptonshire ”’ 
books. 
amination 
on orni- 
thology, and so on. Is it, by the way, correct 
to say with Mr. Brown that the leather obtained 
by chrome-tanning is stronger and better in every 
NO. 2218, VOL. 89] 
way than that obtained by the old process? 
Stronger, certainly, but it is usually conceded that 
oak bark still produces the best leather. Or, 
again, Mr. McCallum states that Loretto School 
“is conducted on English lines.’’ Is it? Almond 
was nothing if not original, and though he cer- 
tainly did not copy any Scotch institution in 
achieving his great work, he as certainly imitated 
no English example. These, however, are per- 
haps matters of opinion, and as such we leave 
them. It is good for British school-geography 
that such books should be on the market at so 
reasonable a price. 
CHEMISTRY IN ITS RELATION TO 
MANUFACTURE. 
Some Chemical Problems of To-day. By Prof. 
Robert K. Duncan. Pp. vi+254. (New York 
and London: Harper & Bros., 1911.) Price 
7s. 6d. net. 
HE title of this entertaining American treatise 
is scarcely comprehensive enough to cover 
the very wide range of subjects presented some- 
what at random in eleven mutually independent 
sections, and the reader who wishes, without un- 
due delay, to gain precise information on some 
chemical problems of to-day is advised to begin 
with the last chapter, which deals with a scheme 
of industrial fellowships initiated by the author at 
the University of Kansas in 1907. This scheme 
depends for its value and acceptability on a mutu- 
ally advantageous arrangement between manu- 
facturers on the one hand and the university on 
the other for the adequate solution of important 
manufacturing problems. 
Accordingly, negotiations were entered into with 
a certain manufacturing firm for the establishment 
of some type of co-operative work by which these 
manufacturers, with special knowledge of their 
trade requirements, might work harmoniously 
with the university and its laboratories, libraries, 
and consultative facilities. A form of agreement 
approved by both parties was drawn up, whereby 
the manufacturing corporation agreed to endow a 
fellowship to deal with some important problem 
requiring a chemical solution, the interests of the 
corporation being safeguarded by a claim on the 
results obtained, and a guarantee of three years’ 
secrecy after the termination of the agreement. 
These fellowships generally run for two years, and 
the endowment varies from 500 to 1,500 dollars 
per annum, sometimes with an additional cash 
bonus. The results obtained from the six fellow- 
ships which have now matured appear to be highly 
The most remarkable success was 
the National Association of Master 
satisfactory. 
gained by 
