162 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST. 
The opening chapter, by the present editor of the Journal, Dr. Edward 
S. Dana, traces in detail the early history of the magazine and gives 
a sketch of its subsequent history. There is a table of scientific per- 
jodicals from 1771 to 1832, and a review of the various early svien- 
tific societies in Europe and America. The American Journal of Science 
was founded in 1818 by Benjamin Silliman, then “professor of chemis- 
try, mineralogy, etc. at Yale College.” Silliman had doubts as to the 
quantity of good material that he could get for his publication, and 
the support it would receive, so he widened its field as much as 
possible. The title-page of the first number states that the journal will 
deal with “Minerology, Geology, and the other branches of Natural 
History; including also Agriculture and the Ornamental as well as 
Useful Arts.” It is interesting to contrast that with the present-day 
Journal, which is almost entirely restricted to mineralogy and geology, 
and finds difficulty in publishing the manuscripts that come in to it. 
Dr. Dana tells of the completion of the first series of the Journal, of 
the changes in scope and staff, and of the addition of James Dwight 
Dana as associate editor. The history of the Journal up to its present 
issues is treated more briefly than is the early history, but is detailed 
enough to give the facts desired. 
The remaining chapters of the book deal with various subjects of 
science. Of the twelve, five are concerned with geology, and one each 
with petrology, minerology, geophysics, chemistry, physics, zoology, and 
botany. The authors include such authorities as Charles Schuchert, 
Richard Swann Lull, William E. Ford, and Leslie R. Coe. They give 
excellent summaries of the subjects assigned them, and make the book 
an excellent one for reference. A feature of interest are the 22 por- 
traits of scientific men of America and Great Britain. 
C. 4k ok: 
GENERAL BOTANY FOR UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES. By Hiram D. 
Densmore. Ginn and Company. $2.96. a 
The first part of this new text on botany is intended to present the 
biological aspects of plant life from the standpoints of structure and 
‘function and is based upon studies of the higher and more familiar 
seed-bearing plants. Three main themes are considered: the relations 
and adaptations of the higher plants to other organisms and to the in- 
animate portions of their environments; the cellular structure of plants 
in relation to their growth, reproduction and anatomy; and_ the 
phenomena of reproduction with relation to crossing, hybridization, and 
plant breeding. 
Part II deals with the morphology, life histories, and the evolution 
of the main plant groups. In the chapter devoted to the fungi, em- 
phasis is placed on the nature of enzymes and fermentation, and on the 
relations of these processes to parasitism, disease, and decay. In the 
treatment of the higher spore-bearing plants, and seed plants much 
attention is given to the evolution of structure and reproduction, in- 
stead of placing the emphasis upon the mere reproductive features, as 
