140 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. X. No. 241 



Elements of Botany, mchiding Organography, Vegetable Histol- 

 ogy, Vegetable Physiology, and Vegetable Taxonomy, and a 

 Glossary of Botanical Terms. By Edson S. Bastin. Chicago, 

 G. P. Engelhard & Co. 8°. 

 If one can judge by the number of text-books on botany which 

 have been published in this country during the last few years, 

 either the number of botanical students must be very large, or the 

 different text-books must treat the subject inadequately, for each 

 new work has for its ostensible purpose the ' tilling of a long-felt 

 want.' What the want is, is not easy to say, unless it be a book 

 which shall contain every thing in small compass, and that is a 

 practical impossibility. The ' Elements of Botany,' by Professor 

 Bastin, certainly gives a great deal in small compass, and must be 

 considered one of the best treatises on the subject yet published in 

 this country. It is evidently the work of a teacher, rather than a 

 specialist, and gives the substance of what must usually be sought 

 in several different text-books, and, while it cannot replace other 

 well-known treatises, it forms a good introduction to them. The 

 illustrations are numerous and generally good, and the style is clear 

 and as attractive as could be expected considering the condensed 

 form. Two-thirds of the book are devoted to organography and 

 histology, — subjects which are best adapted to beginners. The 

 chapters on physiology are very brief, but the subject is well treated. 

 The same can hardly be said of the chapters on vegetable taxon- 

 omy, by which the author understands a description of the different 

 classes of the vegetable kingdom. The illustrations of this part 

 are not so good as those of the earlier parts, and the descriptions 

 are not infrequently obscure, and also at times incorrect. The yeast- 

 plant, for instance, cannot be said to belong to the Schizomycetes. 

 It is to be regretted that authors of botanical text-books to be used 

 by beginners almost invariably crowd a general account of the dif- 

 ferent classes into a few pages at the end. Treated in this way, 

 the subject is always unintelligible, or next to unintelligible, and 

 the space had better be used in amplifying other subjects and the 

 student referred to larger and special works for an account of the 

 classes. 



An Introdttction to Greek Sculpture. By L.E. Upcott. Oxford, 

 Clarendon Pr. 12". 



No book of similar aim and scope can compare for a moment 

 with this little book. It was originally written as a guide to the 

 author's collection of casts and photographs from the antique at 

 Marlborough College. It is now enlarged somewhat, and has in 

 view a museum of casts and photographs adapted to the needs of a 

 school or college. Mr. Upcott mentions the religious origin of 

 Greek sculpture, notes its peculiar characteristics, and traces its 

 development from the half-mythical Daedalus to the Grjeco-Roman 

 period. The book is at once clear, compact, and comprehensive, 

 and the best manual of Greek sculpture in the language. 



The Graphical Statics of Mechanism. By GUSTAV HERRMANN. 

 New York, Van Nostrand. 16°. 

 This is a translation into English of Professor Herrmann's work, 

 which has already been published in German and French. The 

 great advantage which the method presents is its simplicity. By 

 the use over and over again of a few easily mastered principles, the 

 most complicated problem may be solved. No knowledge of 

 higher mathematics is required in its mastery, and no handling of 

 lengthy and involved algebraic formulas is necessary in its use. The 

 object of the treatise is principally to facilitate study for the stu- 

 dents of technical schools, upon whose time and industry increasing 

 demands are made from day to day. 



NOTES AND NE'WS. 



The earthquake of Central Asia, the principal shock of which 

 occurred on June 19, has a remarkable feature in common with the 

 Charleston earthquake. In most cases chains of mountains prevent 

 the spreading of the shocks, but in these cases high ranges were 

 crossed. The Charleston earthquake traversed the AUeghanies, 

 and that of Vernoye — the situation of which may be seen on our 

 map of Central Asia (Aug. 5) — was felt on the Issik-Kul, though 

 the chains of the Ala-tau lie between the centre of the disturbance 



and that lake. The epicentre was in the district of Aksai, about 

 fifteen miles west of Vernoye. About 800 persons are said to have 

 been killed by falling houses and rocks rolling down from the 

 mountains. Numerous fissures were formed on the northern slope 

 of the Ala-tau, particularly near Vernoye. East of this place the 

 shocks were less destructive. Part of the shore of Issik-Kul moved 

 three feet downward. An expedition is at present at work to in- 

 vestigate the geological structure of the disturbed area. 



— We learn that the Signal Service has ordered the abandon- 

 ment of the following stations on the Pacific coast : Monterey, San 

 Luis Obispo, Bakersfield, Modesto, Indio, San Bernardino, Carson, 

 Yreka, Santa Rosa, and Mendocino City. As soon as the official 

 intention was announced, the publisher of the San Francisco 

 Chronicle came forward and offered to provide obsen'ers, pay for 

 telegrams, warnings, and so forth, provided that the government 

 would allow the instruments to remain. This offer has been ac- 

 cepted. 



— It will be of interest to learn, says The Publishers' Weekly, 

 that the adherents of the international language Volapuk have just 

 held a congress at Munich, presided over by Professor Kirchhoff of 

 the University of Halle. It was decided to use the home spelling 

 for proper names, to drop the ceremonial form ' you ' (employing 

 ' thou ' in the singular), and to make some few simplifications in 

 spelling and grammar. The most important action was the estab- 

 lishment of a Volapiik academy, to whom all future grammatical 

 and lexicographical difficulties shall be submitted. Eighteen 

 academicians were elected, representing Germany, Hungarj-, Aus- 

 tria, Holland, Russia, Sweden, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Asia 

 Minor, England, and North America. The American representa- 

 tive is Mr. Charles E. Sprague of New York. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



* ^ The attention o/ scientific tnen is called to the advantages of the correspondence 

 columns ofi^ciKUCK/or placing pro»t/>tly on record brief preliminary notices o/" 

 their investigations. Twenty copies of the number containing his cotntnunication 

 •will be furnished free to any correspondent on request. 



The editor luill be glad to publish any queries consonant with the character of 

 the journal. 



Correspondents are requested to be as brief as possible. The writer s najne is 

 in all cases required as proof of good faith. 



Is there a Diamond-Field in Kentucky ? 



The great similarity of the peridotite of Elliott County, Ky., to" 

 that of the South African diamond-fields has attracted considerable 

 attention, and hundreds of prospectors, moved by ' interesting 

 possibilities,' have visited the region in search of gems and precious 

 metals. 



In May, 1885, when the peridotite of Kentucky was studied in 

 the field, the character of the diamond-bearing rock in South Africa 

 was not yet fully understood, and consequently no search was 

 made at the time for diamonds. Recent developments, however, 

 rendered it desirable that they should be intelligently sought for ; 

 and upon the invitation of Mr. J. R. Procter, the State geologist of 

 Kentucky, we were sent by Maj. J. W. Powell, the director of the 

 United States Geological Survey, to make the investigation. 



The locality is easily reached by way of the East Kentucky Rail- 

 road, which ends in Carter County at Willard, where conveyance 

 may be obtained of the farmers to traverse the remaining ten miles 

 to the best exposures of the peridotite along Isom's Creek, in Elliott 

 County. 



The peridotite alters and disintegrates readily ; but, from the fact 

 that the declivity of the surface is considerable, the transportation 

 of material almost keeps pace with disintegration, and there is no 

 great accumulation of residuary deposits upon the narrow divides 

 and hillsides. The specific gravity and durability of the gems 

 found in connection with peridotite are generally greater than those 

 of serpentine and other products of its alteration. On this account 

 the gems accumulate upon the surface and in favorable positions 

 along adjacent lines of drainage. Our plan was to search by sifting 

 and carefully panning the stream-beds receiving the drainage 

 directly from the surface of the peridotite, and to enlist the services 

 of the people in the neighborhood to scrutinize the steep slopes 

 where gems weathered out of the peridotite might be exposed. 

 Particular attention was directed also to the examination of the 



