206 The Botanical Gazette. [May, 
mentary part of all departments of botany, with portions here and 
there expanded and illustrated to meet the special problems in agri- 
culture. Occasionally a work is made to cover only those features of 
the science which specially affect agricultural practice. Really good 
examples of the latter form have not yet appeared in English, al- 
though a demand may be expected to arise eventually from our nu- 
merous agricultural colleges, if not to some degree already existent. 
We believe that the subject matter of a work, which can justly bear 
the title of “agricultural botany,” should be almost entirely, or even 
wholly, devoted to facts and problems of special interest to the agri- 
culturist. Yet we are aware that many schools, even some agricul- 
tural colleges of high rank, do not provide a course in botany suffi- 
-ciently full for the student to obtain, as he should do, a good founda- 
tion in the morphology, anatomy, classification and physiology of 
plants before entering upon the more special and more detailed study 
of the plant life as exhibited under the hands of the cultivator. There 
is a demand for a work of moderate compass at once elementaty and 
expanded upon topics having a practical trend, that is, for a book both 
general and special, a vade mecum, a short cut to specialization. — 
The recently issued volume by Mr. M. C. Potter’ covers this re- 
quirement most admirably, since it is well printed, well bound, abund- 
antly illustrated, of handy size, covers a wide range of information, § 
carefully written, and contains useful matter. The thirteen chapters 
deal respectively with the introduction, cell, root, leaf, stem, ad 
fruit and seed, food, reproduction, diseases, grasses, Leguminos®, @ 
classification. 
The attempt to write for the comprehension of the who 
formed in botanical matters, while giving the latest results of r 
and the most recent views upon unsettled problems, often interferes 
with a smooth and dignified presentation. P 
There is little in the work that is novel either in subject 
lly unin- 
matter OF 
from being a recent publication. It gives another tex 
choose, particularly for the use of classes. 
expect that any farmer, unless he be a recent college 
make much use of such a book. : ‘ lection of 
After granting that the author has made a fairly wise S€ 
: pare sas si 
matter for his work, there is little to criticise. The use of the pu 
form of the word stoma in place of the plural on pages 45-54 
mo. 
5 a 
‘Porter, M. C.—An elementary text-book of agricultural botany 
Pp. 250. figs.99. London: Methuen & Co., 1893.——3* °™ 
