121 



The book is intended for the use of pharmacists, pharmacol- 

 ogists and food and drug analysts and is much more compre- 

 hensive than the usual volume on plant morphology. Physio- 

 logical and ecological problems are usually involved in the study 

 of vegetable drugs, and this work contains a large amount of ma- 

 terial which should be of interest to physiologists and ecologists. 



The facts regarding the detection and isolation of cell contents 

 in small quantities of material, in some cases being merely a few 

 sections will be very helpful to research workers, especially cy- 

 tologists; for example: The detection of iodine in the kelps as given 

 on page 25. The micro-sublimate crystals of agaricinic acid in 

 Polyporus as illustrated on page 37. The illustrations of crystals 

 of lichenostearic acid obtained by micro-sublimation of pieces 

 of the thallus of Cetraria on page 48. Crystals from exudations 

 and extracts as of catechu, gambir, aloes, benzoic acid, page 126, 

 etc. Again the accurate study of the principal crystallizable 

 constituents by means of the petrographical microscope as of 

 vanillin, page 173, coumarin, page 175, morphin, etc., page 325- 

 330, etc. The work of the great masters in pharmacognosy and 

 botany have been utilized and frequent references to original 

 articles are given throughout the text. There are many new 

 things in the book which are generally not available, regarding 

 the true source, formation of spruce gum, the origin of Oregon 

 balsam and descriptions of very many little used drugs as Manaca, 

 Coto, etc. 



This new volume should prove to be an encouragement to the 

 directors of botanical departments in universities and in technical 

 schools in their efforts to extend and introduce courses in histo- 

 logical applied botany. "Applied and Economic Botan}'," an 

 earlier volume by Professor Kraemer, contains the fundamental 

 considerations of outer morphology, inner morphology, etc., 

 such as should precede the work covered by the present volume. 



In view of the fact that some teachers may feel that the data 

 concerning applied plant physiology and ecology as contained in 

 this book is inadequate, it should be pointed out that very little 

 is known concerning the proper application of these principles, 

 with the end in view of securing a more uniform quality of vege- 



