ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 109 



The purpose of the book is "to aid the reader in acquiring a knowledge of the science 

 of agriculture, as distinct from the art of agriculture, that is, a knowledge of the ' why,' 

 rather than a knowledge of the ' how.' The science of agriculture may be said to consist 

 of a mingling of chemistry, geology, botany, entomology, physiology, bacteriology, and 

 other sciences, in as far as they have a bearing upon agriculture. The aim has been to 

 include but the first principles of these various sciences and to show their application to 

 the art of agriculture. . . . An intelligent understanding of the science underlying 

 the art of agriculture will add much interest to what is otherwise hard work, and as a 

 natural consequence, the pleasure of such work may be greatly increased." 



Every day the fact is being recognized more and more that the elements of those 

 sciences which underlie all progress in every branch of agriculture must be taught in the 

 Public and High Schools of the country. Already simple nature studies and the first 

 steps in chemistry and geology are taught in the schools of Manitoba and Ontario, and 

 these studies have proved to be not only of use and attractive to the students, but a 

 ready means of creating a bond of sympathy between the teacher and his pupils ; more 

 especially has this been the case with those energetic and restless souls too often now 

 called " bad boys " more, perhaps, from lack of understanding or skill in management on 

 the part of the teacher than from a superabundance of real badness on the part of the 

 taught. Boys play truant because they find more to interest them outside the school 

 than at their desks. If therefore the things which appertain to out-of-doors can be 

 brought inside the schoolroom without robbing them of too much oV their outside 

 flavor, they will be a sure bait to catch the attention of all bright, healthy boys and girls. 

 Their study will arouse interest at once and the habits of concentration, power to observe 

 and compare, and the necessary development of the faculties of exact thought and 

 accurate description will be available for all other branches of study with which the 

 pupil is engaged. 



This book may be used as a text-book in High Schools and Public Schools. It 

 would be well indeed for Canada if its use were made compulsory in every school in the 

 land. The great truths laid before the reader are presented in a simple straightforward 

 manner intelligible to all. The subjects are so skilfully arranged and concisely stated 

 that a surprising amount of accurate information is given in this small octavo of 200 

 pages. The value of this simple knowledge to practical men is not, I believe, overstated 

 when I aver that if all the farmers in Canada would read this little work, as they most 

 certainly should, its appearance would mark an epoch in the history of the Dominion, 

 which would be made manifest to all by an enormous increase in the crops and wealth of 

 the whole country. 



The scope of work is shown by the following brief epitome of subjects : Part i. treats 

 of the Plant, its development, structure, food and functions ; Part n , Soil, its nature 

 and treatment; Part in., Crops of the Field ; Part iv., The Garden, Orchard and Vine- 

 yard ; Part v., Live Stock and Dairying; Part vi., Bees, Birds, Forests, Roads and the 

 Home. 



In these different sections the insect and fungous enemies of . crop3 are treated at 

 some length. This little volume is bound in cloth and well got up ; although some of 

 the illustrations are rather roughly executed, it is on the whole most excellent and for 

 the price, 25 cents is a marvel of cheapness. — J. F. 



The Winter Food of the Chickadee, Bulletin 54, New Hampshire College of 

 Agriculture, by Clarence M. Weed — There is something particularly charming about 

 those confiding little feathered denizens of the woods which brave our cold northern 

 winters and stay to cheer us at a time of the year when there is so little animated life. 

 The Chickadee or Black capped Tit-mouse (Paras atricapillus ) is at once one of the most 

 cheerful as well as one of the most useful of our common native winter birds. What a 

 bright, busy, happy sight is presented by a flock of these little friends ; for they are all 

 friends these little balls of black satin and grey down, they are far too busy and well 

 employed to waste time in fighting. Satan has a hard time of it in " some mischief 

 finding " for these little fellows to do, for their hands are never idle, as they hurry 



