1909] CURRENT LITERATURE 393 
also excellent discussions of work in the production of disease-resistant varieties 
of flax and wheat by H. L. Bottey, and of rice by CHartes E. CHAMBLISS 
The volume is illustrated with about seventy cuts and diagrams, most of the 
former being good half-tone engravings. The book is printed on rather cheap 
paper, but is well bound. It is marred by an undue number of typographical 
_ errors, owing to the unfortunate fact that the various papers were not submitted 
to their authors for correction. The volume closes with a directory of the members 
of the association, now numbering something over 1200, followed by subject and 
author indexes to the articles contained in the volume. No biological library can 
afford to be without these annual volumes, and every one interested in any subject 
related to heredity or breeding should not fail to become a member of the organi- 
zation.—Gro. H. SHuL 
Floral biology 
Under the general direction of Dr. Toutousr, Doin & Fils, Paris, have 
undertaken the publication of an Encyclopédie scientifique. It is divided into 40 
sections, each in charge of a special director, and the completed work will com- 
prise about 1000 volumes, each one of which will be a scientific monograph. The 
classification is exceedingly interesting, botany being represented by three of the 
40 sections as follows: 15, Physiologie et pathologie végétales; 22, Botanique; 
35, Botanique appliquée et agriculture; not to mention other sections entitled 
Biologie, Physiologie, Pathologie, etc., which inferentially contain no botany. 
The section of plant physiology and pathology is under the special direction of 
L. Manern, and is to include 13 monographs, the first one of which to appear is 
on “Floral biology,” by P&cHOUTRE.3 
The boundaries of the subject are vague, but after a historical introduction 
the author presents his material in two parts: (1) Sex and sexual elements, and 
(2) Pollination and floral structures. The topics of the second part are obvious, 
and the usual information concerning cleistogamy, dichogamy, etc., is presented 
as fully as 175 pages will permit, and presumably in a form suited to the prospec- 
tive audience. Just what may be treated in such a volume under the head of “‘sex 
and sexual elements,” however, is not so self-evident. In this case the titles of 
the six chapters are in substance as follows: the separation of sexes in flowering 
Plants; the influerice of external agents on the determination of sex in dioecious 
ee the phylogeny of the separation of sexes; the transformation of “hermaph- 
” plants into dioecious plants, including “‘slow variation or mutation;” 
the se elements of “‘phanerogams,” including protection of pollen, formation 
of gametes, the development of the pollen tube, and fertilization; the dissociation 
of the vegetative and sexual activities of pollen. 
Taking the book as a whole, it is conspicuous for its lack of perspective, per- 
haps it would be better to say its curious perspective; for its material of very 
3 Bele: F., Biologie florale. r2 mo. pp. 369. figs. 82. Paris: Octave Doin 
& Fils. 19 sir. 
