218 BOTANICAL GAZETTE | serrennet 
admirably illustrated, and we venture the prediction that many of these figures 
will become classic in future texts. No such collection of figures represent. 
ing the plant kingdom exists, and they give a conception of plants in general 
that can be obtained from no other publication. The figures and text include 
not merely those structures which may be said to have taxonomic importance, 
but anatomical peculiarities of each family are set forth. All through the 
work the ecological standpoint is prominent, and the sections on geographical 
distribution are among the most valuable. 
It is to be expected,that the treatment is unequal, and the different pars 
of very different degrees of merit, but with fifty-seven collaborators this could — 
not be avoided. It seems to most botanists far more important to complete 
a work within a reasonable time, and so establish a usable datum-line, than 
to drag it out indefinitely and allow one part to be out of date before another — 
is published. In general the treatment will be regarded as conservative, 
there being apparent no desire for change if existing lines can be used at all 
In so delicate a matter as nomenclature, as is well known, the “Berlin rules,” 
which are in fact the Engler rules, are drawn up in the spirit of compromise, 
not going to either exireme, and probably satisfying neither set of extremists 
No set of rules proposed, however, has had as yet such a tremendous advat- 
tage of general usage as this great work will compel for the Berlin rules 
It is impossible to mention in detail the views advanced as tothe evolutien 
ot plant groups. There will be much difference of opinion as to minor points, 
for many smaller groups, through lack of adequate investigation, had to be 
“lumped,” but in the judgment of the reviewer the main lines of evolution 
suggested will stand, which are in brief as follows: spiral arrangement and ‘ 
indefinite numbers to cyclic arrangement and definite numbers ; naked flowers : 
to differentiation of calyx and corolla; apocarpy to syncarpy; pale ; 
sympetaly ; hypogyny to epigyny; actinomorphy to zygomorphy. - 
h can be no doubt, but 
” 
cases of ‘reduced flowers’? occur there : 
sae imitive in 
great majority of so-called cases of reduction are really primitive 
acter seems hardly less doubtful.— J. M. C. oe 
Ferments and fermentation. ee 
THE attention which the various problems connected with poe 2 
have received during the past decade and the interest, both then doobly 
practical, which attaches to the investigation of these problems pare. 
welcome a book on the soluble ferments from the hand of Prot ane 
Reynolds Green.t In it he has sought to bring together, 5° wie esses of 
the results already reached, and to indicate the view of the DF 
‘GREEN, J. REYNOLDS: The soluble ferments and fermentati Th Macmilla® 
480. Cambridge: The University Press. 1899. 125. [New York: 
Company. | 
