1898] CURRENT LITERATURE 283 
yeated with a simple directness of statement that is much to be commended. 
ill further illumination is obtained by the outlines of easy demonstrations 
ind experiments to accompany the context. The illustrations are clear and 
vell selected throughout, and many of the best are original. The book will 
_ te found very useful in American as well as in English schools.—D. T. 
MacDouGaL. 
Cultivated plants of Asia Minor.’ 
IN A BOOK of 278 pages devoted to the natural resources of Asia Minor, 
_ Kannenberg has given something over one hundred pages to the cultivated 
plants of the region. The account is a contribution to agriculture and cur- 
rent history rather than to botany, but the student of cultivated plants will 
ind it useful nevertheless, since it attempts to make an annotated inventory 
of all the leading plants cultivated or used for food, used in the industries, 
‘or omament and the like, and also an account of forests and timbers. The 
‘otanical names of the various species are not given, and this detracts from 
the value of the book for specific reference, particularly in such confused 
Soups as the rose and the cucurbits. Very full references are given to the 
iterature of the various entries, and the reader will find much of interest in 
oem of local and geographical names for species and varieties. 
pig 'S essentially a compilation, the work of Hehn and others being 
under heavy tribute. There are many striking half tones. The book 
_— to be a distinctly good contribution to the popular knowledge of the 
“mediately useful natural history of the region.— L. H, BAILEY. 
Dr The ferns of the earth. 
a. -Christ3 has published a general systematic account of ferns which 
€d for popular rather than for technical use. This group has always 
ever since the Synopsts 
on was the Sysopsts 
» 40 attractive one for general presentation, 
Filtcum : “hat in 1806. The last general presentati 
Bet ooker and Baker, edition of 1883. 
‘0 bulky ee "chit himself in various ways, so that the 
ines himsele still may be a good general presentation of ferns. 
It to the homosporous Filicinez, with their leptospor@ 
oe dour groups. Moreover, he does not include doubtful papel: 
"hich are yin attempting to present only those genera and panne 
established and representative. Of course his work is inten 
Kany 
und Mineralschitze. Berlin: Gebriider Borntraeger- 1897 
gs. 292. Jena: 
. $Chris 
: Gestay Fp: T, H.— Die Farnkrauter der Erde. 8vo- pp- xi + 388. fi 
oe 1897. 2. 12. 
work may not be 
He con- 
ngiate and 
- eis : 1- 
ENBERG, Kart.— Kleinasiens Naturschatze, seine dee ete Kul 
ye 
