312 BOTANICAL GAZETTE focromzs 
French instruction in botany 
BONNIER and SABLON? have published the first volume of a text-book of 
botany for thé use of classes in universities, and in schools of medicine, pharmacy, 
and agriculture. The first impression is that of great bulk, and it is almost beyond 
belief that such an amount of material can be absorbed by undergraduate stu- 
dents in a continuous course. The authors, however, are teachers of large 
experience, and must know what the French situation demands and how much 
the French student can endure. The illustrations are for the most part excellent, 
and are said to be published in this volume for the first time. This means a 
large stock of new illustrations of well-known structures; and this stock really 
constitutes the chief contribution of the volume. 
The text is clear and well organized; and the distinct paragraphing is all that 
could be desired in a text for elementary students. The material is brought 
together from every direction, making the volume a compendium of information 
concerning the topics presented. However, it gives an impression of voluminous- 
ness and diffuseness rather than of logical and compact presentation. 
The four parts of this first volume are very unequal. The first part (138 pp.) 
consists of a general introduction, beginning with the characteristics of living 
things and gradually approaching plants. ‘The second part (602 pp.) presenls 
the morphology of angiosperms, under the following topics: leaf, stem, root, 
flower, and development. In this part the emphasis is laid upon anatomy and 
what one may call for convenience the older morphology. ; 
The third part (524 pp.) deals with the families of angiosperms, that dreariest 
of all wastes for the elementary student, but perhaps demanded by the French 
schools. Just what is done with this part of European text-books has always been 
a mystery to the majority of American teachers. The fourth part (62 pp.) PR 
sents the gymnosperms and closes the volume. : : 
A noticeable feature of the presentation is the singular blindness to published 
work. In an elementary text this seems natural, and usually would rere 
no remark; but this large conipendium cites literature, and further ere 
citations by collecting them in a list at the end of each part. The four lists mn 
‘ pcsed entie Jection has beet 
108 titles; and when they are examined, it is evident that the se po 
at random, without refererice to the importance of the papers OF bes fc 
sentative character of the lists. In fact, the impression upon students am 
leagues would be far better if no citations had been attempted. fiend 
Taking the book as fairly representative of botanical instru old botatY 
schools, one may conclude that the instruction includes more of te «ay ideas; 
than the new; presents a mass of details rather than general wee C 
and calls for diligence and a good memory rather than for inl : ae 
tiative. 
fe | Phanéro- 
2 Bonnier, GASTON, et SABLON, LECLERC DU, Cours de ep ee gnement 
games. 8vo. pp. iv+1328. figs. 2389. Paris: Librairie générale | 
1905. 
