576 
made to combine the virtues of these two classes 
in one book, no very marked result has been 
delivered. Attempts have also been made to 
embody advice and suggestions to the teacher 
in minor paragraphs, but these have been neces- 
sarily meagre and their educational value some- 
what doubtful. The teaching body, therefore, 
has been waiting for the right kind of help— 
help which is not sandwiched into the text-book 
or into the laboratory manual, but designed for 
the teacher solely. This has been given them 
in the work before us, one which is divided 
into two parts, the first part consisting of 
‘Essays on Botanical Pedagogics,’ the second 
of ‘An Outline for a Synthetic Elementary 
Course in the Science of Botany.’ The author 
in his preface calls attention to the fact that in 
the opinions of many teachers the ‘vital phe- 
nomena, especially as they manifest themselves 
in moulding the physiogomy of vegetation,’ 
should form the backbone of an elementary 
course in botany, and while admitting the value 
of this as an ideal, remarks that the problem of 
the topography of vegetation is far too complex 
a matter, too far beyond our understanding to 
be available in general courses. It appears to 
the reviewer that this is well said, for we are 
now experiencing a swing of the pendulum 
towards the use of ecology which will have to 
be lessened before the proper mean is arrived 
at. Passing on to the introduction we find the 
key to Professor Ganong’s position as to what 
should constitute an elementary course. He 
says, ‘‘it must embody the essence of the best 
human knowledge of the leading divisions of 
the science, and that it must include training 
in those qualities by which that knowledge is 
gained.’’ 
The first part is made up of eight chapters, 
to the captions of which it is worth while here 
to draw attention. They are as follows: (1) 
The Place of the Sciences in Education and of 
Botany among the Sciences ; (2) What Botany 
is of most Worth; (8) On Things Essential to 
Good Botanical Teaching; (4) On Scientific Re- 
cording, Drawing and Description; (5) On 
Laboratories and their Equipment; (6) On 
Botanical Collections and other Illustrations ; 
(7) On Botanical Books and their Use; (8) On 
Some Common Errors Prejudicial to Good 
SCIENCE. 
[N.S. Von. X. No. 251. 
Botanical Teaching. It must be left to the 
titles to suggest the scope and usefulness of 
these essays, with the assurance that the one 
who is interested will not be disappointed. It 
may be well, however, to point out a few mat- 
ters of special interest which will serve to indi- 
cate the character of the whole. In facing the 
problem of the crowded curriculum, the author 
makes the plea that the Natural Sciences should 
be added to the curriculum as alternatives with 
the older well-established branches. Following 
which is an argument for a limited elective sys- 
tem in theschools. The contents of the second 
chapter has already been indicated in a sentence 
from the introduction. Among features deemed 
essential to good botanical teaching is a ‘ de- 
termination for incessant improvement.’ This 
involves work in original investigation, as it is 
truly regarded as the only way in which the 
teacher can cultivate the right scientific spirit. 
In the sixth chapter the matter of collections is 
dealt with ; the author emphasizes the necessity 
of making a collection mean something, which 
is seldom enough the case. We have passed 
beyond the cabinet stage of development. The 
last of the chapters deals with common botanical 
errors, most of which grow out of the partial 
failure on the part of teachers to readjust 
themselves to the newer phases of botanical 
thought, and although this chapter would be 
unnecessary, if the contents of the third essay 
had not been violated, it is under the circum- 
stances not the least necessary of the series, as 
the reviewer can say from his own experience 
in contact with teachers. The value of these 
essays is here only suggested, and while it is 
certain there will be some disagreement as to 
minor features—for when has there been entire 
agreement among the teachers?—the whole 
forms a well-balanced, corrective and stimula- 
ting body of matter. 
The second part embodies in outline what in 
the author’s experience has proved to be the 
most profitable course of study for elementary 
students. The course consists in the study of 
the seed, germination, the seedling and the dif- 
ferentiated plant, with inquiry into the struc- 
ture, physiology and ecology of the same. A 
series of a dozen simple experiments has been 
worked out to illustrate the essential physiolog- 
