1913] CURRENT LITERATURE 403 
trees and those common in cultivation in the northeastern United States and 
adjacent Canada. The book is free from unnecessary technical terms and 
descriptive details which are essential to a comprehensive flora, so that the 
u 
reproduced photograph in halftone of the bark. Each tree is given its scientific 
name, as well as the common name by which it is known. The drawings are 
all made in actual proportions, the natural size being shown graphically by a 
line-scale accompanying each figure. We need more such books to encourage 
and popularize careful field observation.—J. M. GREENMAN. 
Officinal plants and drugs.—Mzurtacuer’s has brought together in 
convenient compilation the plants recognized in all of the approved pharma- 
copoeias, 22in number. ‘The nomenclature is that of the Vienna Congress, and 
the sequence is that of WeTTsTEIN’s Handbuch. The data given are as follows: 
geographical distribution and culture of medicinal plants, the vegetation form, 
the drugs obtained, those drugs regarded as especially strong and those recog- 
nized as “officinal’”’ in different countries, etc. It is interesting to note the 
distribution of these 638 officinal plants, representing 125 families. Of the 
cryptogams, only 23 such plants are used (Phaeophyceae 2, Rhodophyceae 7, 
Fungi 7, Pteridophytes 7), representing x6. families; while the gymnosperms 
add only 21 conifers. The 594 offi representing 
107 families, are distribu sted: as «tolls: “Archichlamydeae 423; Sympetalae 197; 
and Monocotyledons 74.—J. M. C 
Illinois Academy of Science.—The volume of transactions of the fifth 
annual meeting (February 1912) of the Illinois Academy of Science has just 
appeared. A symposium on conservation includes “Conservation of our 
forests,” by HENRY C. Cow es, and “Conservation ideals in the improvement 
of plants,’ by H. J. Wesser. In addition to these papers, the following of 
botanical interest were presented: ‘Notes on the forests of Ogle County, Il., “ai 
by W. L. Erkenserry; ‘Competition and general relationships among the 
subterranean organs of onirei plants,” by Eart E. SHerrr; “The range of 
evaporation and soil moisture in the oak-hickory forest association of Illinois,” 
by Wave McNutt and Gero. D. Futter; and “Germination and growth of 
the cottonwood upon the sand dunes of Lake Michigan, near Chicago,” by 
Gro. D. Futter.—J. M. C. 
Volvox.—An extended discussion of Volvox, based upon living and fixed 
material mounted whole in glycerin jelly, is presented in a pamphlet by JANET.® 
’MITLACHER, WILHELM, Die offizinellen Pflanzen und Drogen. pp. viii+13. 
Wien: Carle Fromme. 1912. M 6.25. 
6 JANET, CHARLES, Le Volvox. 8vo. pp. 151. figs. 15. Limoges: Ducourtieux et 
Gott. 1912. 
