igoS] CURRENT LITERATURE 57 



York city schools. The sequence is botany (146 pp.), zoology (139 pp.), and 

 human physiology (124 pp.). Preceding the presentation of botany, there is an 

 introductory chapter, another on "Experiments in chemistn- and physics," and 

 a third on "Protoplasm and the cell." Evidently there is no attempt to follow 

 the older type of courses in general biolog}', but rather to present In one book 

 short courses in the three sciences. Directions for experiments accompany the 

 discussions of the text and are often not dissociated from them. The preface 

 states that "it would not be wise to attempt all of the work outlined in this book;" 

 and also, "it is thought that each successive chapter, although related to that 

 immediately preceding it, is yet distinctive enough to allow of the omission of a 

 chapter or chapters without in any way interfering with the continuity of the work." 

 This universal plasticity suggests a general lack of organic relationship. 



The botany begins with a chapter on flowers. The first two pages are almost 

 entirely filled with fine print, which the author says in his preface is "less impor- 

 tant;" and with this luminous beginning we find on the third page the astonishing 

 title "FertiHzation of flowers," in connection with which appear diagrams and 

 terms presenting ovules, embryo sac, eggs, pollen grains, and pollen. The attitude 

 of mind which makes possible the attempt to present this difficult topic in this way 

 is shown, not only by the misleading title given above, but by the following sentence: 

 **The first beginning of the growth of the seed takes place at the moment of fertili- 

 zation." The remainder of the chapter discusses pollination; and then follow 

 chapters on "Fruit" and "Seeds and seedlings." It is not until the seventh chap- 

 ter that there is any discussion of the structure or functions of the woriiing parts 

 of the plants. Even then the chapter on "Roots and their work" is followed 

 by a chapter on "Buds and stems," instead of the chapter on "Leaves and their 

 functions." In such an arrangement no close working relation is developed 

 'bet^veen the different re^'ons. Ecology is presented in one chapter (8 pp.), 

 and the botany closes with a somewhat long chapter on "Floweriess plants." 



If throughout this part of the book there were e\ident an attempt to correlate 

 the material with that of zoolog>' or physiology, we might understand the plan, 

 but no such correlation appears; in fact there is not even any correlation of the 

 botanical material itself. Furthermore, the statements are often faulty. In 

 defining matter, the author says: "It may be Udng, or may have been alive at 

 some prcTOus time, in which case we speak of it as organic matter; or it may 

 never have been alive. The latter state of matter is called inorganic."^ Under 

 the topic "chloroplasts," the process of photosj^thesis is discussed, and in itaHcs 

 the statement is made that "the chloropla5ts, by means of the enei^' received trom 

 the sun, manufacture starch out of certain materials." An accompanying dia- 

 gram, labeled "Diagram to illustrate the formation of starch," attempts to >isu^- 

 ize the process; but m>t a word appears to indicate diat starch iS not hr^ 

 directlv bv chloioplasts, or that anvthing besides starch is made byphotosynte^ 

 The treatment of zoolog>' is from the standpoint of increasmg complexity 

 fiom Protozoa to Mammalia. For this subject the author is equipped, so ttiat 

 nr^K.K!,. I. :. f,.,. w.^ e„.K fanlt« «_^ have been indicated in the diapteis on 



