CURRENT LITERATURE 



III 



BOOK REVIEWS 

 Physiological education 



In putting out the second edition of his laboratory course in plant physiology, 1 

 Professor Ganong directs attention to its threefold purpose in these words: 



First, it aims to lead students through a good laboratory course in plant physiology. 

 Second, it seeks to provide a handbook of information upon all phases of plant physi- 

 ology having any educational interest. Third, I venture to hope that it may find serv- 

 ice as a guide to self-education by ambitious teachers or students The 



is not a compendium of physiological knowledge, nor yet, except incidentally, a hand- 

 book of investigations; but it is a guide to the acquisition of a physiological education. 



It is designed as a contribution to educational economy, and as such I wish it to be 

 judged. 



the work can fail to see that it fulfils the threefold 



design of its author, so far as is compatible with success in making it, what it 

 distinctly is, a contribution to educational economy, and by no means the first that 

 Professor Ganong has produced . The strong pedagogical spirit which runs 

 through the book is suffused by the even stronger scientific spirit, and the com- 

 bination will make it of the highest service to teachers, as well as to those who 

 without other guidance, seek to gain a first-hand knowledge of plant physiology. 

 It must be pointed out that the book plans vastly more work than can be allot- 

 ted to any elementary course in plant physiology in colleges. In the collateral 

 lines of reading and inquiry that it suggests, there is opportunity for some years 

 of labor, and for acquiring a wide knowledge of certain topics. Doubtless the 

 author had it in mind that it is far better to err in this direction than to leave the 

 student with the false notion that the book presents fully the whole subject. But 

 a less informed and mnsiH P raf *<>„~u^ :„u+ i.^^i„ ec i« u^ such assignments 



examines 



to overburden seriously the conscientious student. 



ology might 



his guide, his know! 



o- - *"-".. pnjsiuiogy mignt not be well balanced, because wc F — „ o 



value of different parts of the subject, and hence the attention paid to them Df 



the author, are not always proportionate to their importance. Thus, little more 



than 20 Daffes am ^a^ *- *i_- _i - • -x_i..-i:^ „„a ahnut an equal 



urn 



the description of apparatus. On the other hand, a little more than 20 pff* 



is 



his allotment 



thesis. 



While 



7 ^ --^-i^^xr Wff XV.V^ ***^ *-**v*wa* --* 



may be defended on pedagogical grounds 



laborat 



figs. 68. New York: Henry Holt & Co. x 9 o8. $ 2 .oo. 



8vo. PP- * 



i + 265 



242 





