172 



Latin names of other standard works are also mentioned, but 

 prominence is given to the EngHsh names. A number of intro- 

 duced trees are included, such as European larch and yew, 

 English and Scotch elm, sycamore and Norway maple, ailan- 

 thus, and others. Alfred Gundersen. 



Mosher's Grasses of Illinois 



Dr. Edna Mosher's Grasses of Illinois (Bulletin No. 205 of the 

 University of Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station) is the 

 most notable contribution to the agrostology of the Middle West 

 since the publication of Pammel, Ball and Scribner's Grasses of 

 Iowa, and the first complete list of the grasses of the state since 

 that of Lapham in 1857. In the sixty years since the appearance 

 of Lapham 's catalogue, the number of species known to exist 

 within the limits of the state has almost doubled. The present 

 publication lists 204 species, representing 63 genera. Many of 

 these species are recent introductions, to which attention is here 

 called for the first time. The author has very carefully verified 

 all specimens cited, and has added some valuable comments on 

 the economic side. The book is not a mere catalogue, but is 

 prefaced by a brief and untechnical discussion of the structure 

 of grasses that will make it of value as an introductory text-book. 

 Each species is illustrated by a careful drawing, and the descrip- 

 tions of genera are clear and accurate. 



The bibliographies prefixed to each- species differ somewhat 

 from the accepted usage in that they are restricted to the Illinois 

 history of the species, and might in this way lead to confusion. 

 Dr. Mosher's practice of reducing her citations simply to the 

 surnam.e of the author and year of publication certainly econo- 

 mizes space, but is almost too concise. A beginner might not 

 always understand that "Michaux '03" and "Britton '07" 

 belong to different centuries. 



A more serious departure from, generally accepted usage is 

 found in the failure of the key to recognize the division of the 

 grass family into tribes. As a result, the system of classification 

 becomes somewhat arbitrary and empirical, and the beginner 

 runs the risk of not apprehending the natural relationships of 

 the genera. Doubtless if the determination of a particular 



