November 4, 1921] 



SCIENCE 



437 



naturalist in Funchal, who was handicapped at 

 every turn by the lack of literature. He had 

 purchased what he could, but at present prices 

 were prohibitive. The Madeira Islands are ex- 

 traordinarily interesting to the biologist, and 

 every encouragement should be given to those 

 ■who would study the fauna, flora or geology. 

 Why should not we place a good series of 

 American publications in the public library 

 (Biblioteca Municipal) of Funchal, where they 

 would be available to students? Anything 

 sent there, care of the librarian. Sign. A. C. 

 de Noronha, will be appreciated. There is, 

 however, another very important way in which 

 we can render assistance. That is by subscrib- 

 ing to European scientific journals, or joining 

 scientific societies. In doing this, we enrich 

 ourselves. The gallant way to which the scien- 

 tific home fires have been kept burning in cer- 

 tain quarters would command our admiration 

 if we knew the facts. Take for instance the 

 Annals and Magazine of Natural History, the 

 leading zoological journal of England. It 

 appeared regularly all through the war, though 

 the staff of the printing office (Taylor and 

 Francis) was reduced to a minimum. It pub- 

 lishes zoological papers more promptly and 

 accurately than any journal in America. Not 

 long ago I presented a paper on fossil insects, 

 with over 50 figures, and it appeared within a 

 few months. I was not asked to pay for the 

 cuts, as one often is in America, sometimes at 

 fancy prices. The obvious comment would be, 

 that the Annals must be a prosi)erous concern, 

 quite unlike our poor American journals. On 

 the contrary, I happen to know that it is losing 

 heavily, but it carries on. There are many such 

 eases, I do not doubt. 



t. d. a. cockerell 

 Univeesity of Colorado 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS 



Sturtevant's Notes on Edihle Plants. Edited 

 by U. P. Hedrick. Eeport of the New York 

 Agricultural Experiment Station for the 

 year 1919, 11. Albany, J. B. Lyon Co., State 

 Printers, 1919. 4to. Pp. i-vii, 1-686, with 

 portrait. 

 A work of more than usual note has been 



made available to students of agricultural 

 botany by tlie publication of a selected portion 

 of the data on edible plants brought together 

 by Dr. E. L. Sturtevant, first director of the 

 New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 

 Over six hundred quarto pages comprise the 

 body of the volume, to which are added 

 bibliography, index, biographical sketch of Dr. 

 Sturtevant by Dr. Hedrick, editor's preface, 

 Director W. H. Jordan's letter of transmit- 

 tal, and a full-page portrait. The entries are 

 arranged alphabetically under the Latin name 

 of the plant to which reference is made. The 

 first entry is here reproduced to give an idea 

 of the manner in which the material is pre- 

 sented. 



Aberia caffra Harv. & Sond. Bixineae. Kai 

 Apple. Kau Apple. Kei Apple. 



South Africa. The fruits are of a golden-yellow 

 color, about the size of a small apple. They are 

 used by the natives for making a preserve and are 

 so exceedingly acid when fresh that the Dutch set- 

 tlers prepare them for their tables, as a pickle, 

 without vinegar. Jackson, J. E., Treas. Bot. 

 2:1255. 1876. 



The closing citation is not attached to the 

 paragraph as shown here, but is dropped to the 

 bottom of the page, taking the form of a foot- 

 note. When mention of a synonym is required 

 it follows the citation at the bottom of the 

 page. Many of the entries are only of a few 

 lines each, some of them range up to a page or 

 two, while about two dozen entries occupy 

 more space. About three pages each are given 

 to Lima bean, English bean, pea, egg plant, 

 cucumber, watermelon, kale, parsley, and 

 wheat; four pages each to artichoke, carrot, 

 onion, and radish; five pages each to banana, 

 currant, cabbage, turnip, tomato and musk- 

 melon ; six pages each to beet, common or field 

 bean, potato and pepper ; eight pages to straw- 

 berry; and twelve pages to squash and pump- 

 kin, and to corn. To secure the data. Dr. 

 Sturtevant, who had a good reading acquaint- 

 ance with Latin, Greek, French and German, 

 and some knowledge of other languages, accu- 

 mulated an extensive library, especially rich in 

 pre-Linnaean works, and abounding in rare 

 issues. 



