110 



of the evolution theor}' as applied to the amelioration of 

 plants. 



In the book which we have before us the author discusses 

 " The Fact and Philosoph}^ of Variation," " The Philosophy of 

 the Crossing of Plants, considered in Reference to their Improve- 

 ment under Cultivation," " How Domestic Varieties Originate," 

 and recent opinions, and the investigations of de Vries, Mendel 

 and others. De Vries, himself, contributes a part of the last men- 

 tioned chapter, namely, that " On Hybridization," and Mr. Spill- 

 man, who has studied extensively the wheat varieties with especial 

 reference to ' mendelism,' gives an account of his experiments 

 which led him to independent results parallel to those of Mendel. 

 Among the illustrations a photograph of the " cage " used by 

 Professor de Vries in his experimental work at Amsterdam helps 

 to bring the reader into a more living touch with this renowned 

 investigator. The final chapter deals with the practical operation 

 of pollination. The book is made necessary to every investigator 

 of these problems, and useful to teachers and others interested, 

 by a very full bibliography of chiefly horticultural writings. 



The book is to be particularly recommended as a companion 

 volume to " The Survival of the Unlike " for educational use. 

 Although Professor Bailey confessedly takes a conservative attitude 

 he is eminently fair minded, and states all the aspects of a question 

 dispassionately. His attitude also toward the practical problem 

 of horticulture is clearly and uncompromisingly scientific. The 

 more we know about the behavior of plants, and the closer we 

 follow the indications of nature, the more successful will our 

 efforts be to ameliorate plants. The princijjle of tiie scientific 

 method is thus adhered to. In a word, the treatment is such as 

 to make it exemplary for students and teachers, and it should 

 not only be found on every reference shelf from the high school 

 to the university, but at least some portions of it should be 

 required to be studied, as part of general education. This would 

 help to make the public more intelligent as to the great impor- 

 tance f)f the i)hasc of gDVcrnniental effort dealing with the im- 

 provement of crops. 



F. K. Li.ovD. 



