August 15, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



235 



And again there are: 



With superior ovaries ± 84,000 



With inferior ovaries ± 48,000 



TWO BOOKS ON TREES 



From the botanical garden and arboretum 

 of the University of Michigan we have a little 

 book of somewhat more than two hundred and 

 seventy-five pages entitled " Michigan Trees : 

 A Handbook of the Native and Most Impor- 

 tant Introduced Species," by Charles H. Otis, 

 curator. In its preparation the author has 

 aimed to produce a book that would stimulate 

 interest in the study of trees, having ulti- 

 mately in view the betterment of forest con- 

 ditions in the state. By means of keys (" sum- 

 mer" and "winter"), good pictures and clear 

 descriptions it is made possible for any one of 

 ordinary intelligence to find out what Is the 

 name and general relationship of any of the 

 trees commonly found in Michigan. In order 

 that it may be widely distributed the regents 

 of the university have arranged to send one 

 copy of the book free to every legal high 

 school in the state, to every public library, 

 nature study club, and finally to every resident 

 of the state " who desires it." Surely the resi- 

 dents of Michigan, old and young, have no 

 excuse hereafter for not knowing the trees 

 growing about them. 



The second book is Monograph 8, of the 

 Geological Surrey of Alabama, and is Part 1 

 of the "Economic Botany of Alabama," by 

 Roland M. Harper, this part being devoted to 

 the forests of the state (228 pp.). The book 

 opens with a map of the state, in colors, show- 

 ing geographical and forest regions. Starting 

 with the remark that " Alabama has probably 

 been more thoroughly explored by various 

 kinds of scientists than has any other southern 

 state," the author gives first of all a bibliog- 

 raphy of Alabama forestry, and follows it 

 with chapters on the natural regions, as the 

 Tennessee Valley, Coal Eegion, Coosa Valley, 

 Blue Eidge, Piedmont Eegion, Central Pine 

 Belt, Black Belt, Southwestern Pine Hills, etc. 

 In each region after geographical, geological 

 and climatic details lists of trees are given, 

 followed by a discussion of certain economic 



aspects. Then follow many half-tone repro- 

 ductions of photographs of forests and forest 

 matters. An interesting feature of these illus- 

 trations is that the exact dates when the 

 photographs were taken are given. An un- 

 usually full index closes the report. 



SOUTHERN SYSTEMATIC BOTAUT 



Ten years ago Dr. John K. Small, head 

 curator of the museum and herbarium of the 

 New York Botanical Garden, brought out his 

 " Flora of the Southeastern United States." 

 covering the region south of the southern line 

 of Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri and Kansas, 

 and east of the 100th meridian. The book 

 has proved so useful that the author has been 

 encouraged to bring out a second edition. 

 This has been done by the rewriting of 144 

 pages, and the addition of 53 pages of descrip- 

 tions of additional species in the appendix, 

 making nearly 200 pages of new matter in the 

 whole book. Since the book contains about 

 1,400 pages the amount of revision is easily 

 made out. 



The same author's " Flora of Miami " (206 

 pp.) contains descriptions of the native gym- 

 nosperms and angiosperms of southern Florida. 

 In looking it through one is as much struck 

 by the absence of certain well-known genera 

 as by the presence of others which are quite 

 unfamiliar. Thus Carex is unrepresented, as 

 are also Ulmus, Populus, Brassica, Taraxacum, 

 Rosaceae, Malaceae, etc., while of Ranun- 

 culaceae there is but one species; Salix, one 

 species; Mints, eight species; Helianthus, one 

 species. Florida tourists should have this 

 handy little book for use in the southern part 

 of the state. 



A third book by Dr. Small will also be of 

 interest to Florida tourists. It bears the 

 title "Florida Trees" (107 pp.) and is in- 

 tended to be a handbook of the native and 

 naturalized trees of the state. When we real- 

 ize that " nearly one half of the trees known 

 to occur naturally in North America north 

 of Mexico and the West Indies grow naturally 

 in the relatively small area of the state of 

 Florida " the importance of this little book 

 may be appreciated. By actual count there 



