Current Literature. 319 
the attention of the botanists of the world toward botanical activity in 
America? If the present congress does not prove all that its well 
_ wishers could desire, it may yet be the means of eventually securing 
_ tpon American soil the truly representative international congress to 
which all will be willing to concede authority. 
CURRENT LITERATURE. 
A guide to wild flowers. 
_ Ashort cut is always in order. Very frequently, however, one 
needs to be well posted in the geography of a country before a short 
cutis safe. It seems to us so with the book before us.} 
Mrs. Dana endeavors to make a book which shall enable one to 
tame plants which he is able to find without using “some key which 
__ Positively bristles with technical terms and outlandish titles,” and this 
“their names alone serve as a clue to their entire histories.” 
‘ She has selected about 400 of the most conspicuous flowering plants — 
‘@ the northern United States, omitting the commonest and best 
4S well as those with inconspicuous flowers, or those which are 
. ‘are or introduced as escapes from gardens. Illustrations of very de- 
Bein 
ia 
The pla : : Z 
wa 2 si are arranged in accordance with their colors and the sea- 
q ; lossom 
P neo 
ing. White, yellow, pink, red, blue and purple, and 
are the six main groups. It would seem however 
Fy 
Bo 
an : 
the ng : — pages is rather a large area through which to look for 
Proved hag “ zal Judgment the book would have been greatly im- 
ald haye © author introduced some simple artificial keys which 
Suided one in the path in which he is now left to grope. 
: Seenelattts, ore STARR:—How to know the wild flowers: a guide to the 
Setibser’ Third editi ‘ts of our common wild flowers. Illustrated by Marion 
Sons. iy; «12M. pp. xvi + 298. pl. 10g. New York: Chas. 
. 
