1912] CURRENT LITERATURE 75 



to adaptation is distinctly myopic, and the treatment of those subjects tends 

 to the dogmatic, not in language but in spirit. This very book seems to the 

 reviewer to show that whatever the deficiencies of the adaptation-selection 

 hypothesis, it still has to its credit a notable balance of reasonableness in 

 comparison with the proposed substitute.— W. F. Ganong. 



An elementary text 



A new elementary text by Bergen and Caldwell 3 attempts to meet the 

 growing demand for practical botany, which means the economic aspects of 

 plants. This demand, arises not only from the interest of pupils in the "bread 

 and butter" side of science, but also from what is thought to be the greatest 



very 



education ends with the high school. There is no question that advantage 

 should be taken of interest and need, and the only question is as to whether 

 they are satisfied by a proposed course of study. Moreover, this question 

 can be answered only by experience. Many a public demand voices a real 

 need, and then the change comes to stay; and many another public demand 



imaginary 

 of "fads." 



The book before us has been handicapped in setting the task of meeting 



time 



entrance requirements imposed by colleges. As a result, the unifying motive 

 is lacking and the book becomes a mosaic rather than a definite pattern. 

 The field of previous texts is covered, and to this is added the economic phases 

 of plants, which compels a brevity of treatment in many cases that results 

 m obscurity. In spite of the divergent purposes and space limitations, the 

 book is a marked advance in the direction intended. 



ntroductory 



(PP 



mentary forestry (pp. 21); plant breeding (pp. 21); plant industries (pp. 30); 

 weeds (pp. n); leading families of flowering plants and their uses (pp. 35); 

 and especial emphasis upon plant diseases and methods of control. In a 

 practical botany of 513 pages, one is surprised to find no less than 214 pages 

 devoted to plant groups. However, economic significance has frequently 

 determined the selection of the forms discussed. With the exception of most 



(pp. 156-370) 



elementary 



elementary 



as seed testing and selecting is conspicuous by the absence of any special 

 treatment. The numerous footnotes and references to literature should prove 

 both useful and stimulating, at least to instructors. The introduction of 



3 Bergen, J. Y., and Caldwell, O. W., Practical botany, pp. v+545- fii 5 - i 5x * 

 Boston: Ginn & Co., 1911. 



