Igrt] CURRENT LITERATURE 405 
ridges, valleys, rocky slopes, glades, swamps, bogs, the topography determining 
in each case the character of the vegetation. 
In Part IV, on the “Relation of natural vegetation to crop possibilities,” 
SHREVE concludes that only in a general way may the native or introduced 
plant cover, as seen today, be significant of agricultural capabilities, although 
there is evidence that the virgin forest did give indication of the char- 
acter of the underlying soil which was observed to advantage by the early 
settlers. Part V, on the “Agricultural features” by BLopGett, Part VI on 
the “Forests and their products” by F. W. BEstey, and Part VII, a “List. of 
plants collected or observed” by SHREVE, complete the book. 
€ careful work of the authors and the collection of the floristic and 
ecological data make this a valuable treatise of its kind. It is handsomely 
Printed and abundantly illustrated. For regions presented in such detail 
and with many local references, the lack of adequate maps is often noticed.— 
Lavra Gano. 
MINOR NOTICES 
Wettstein’s Handbuch.—The mere fact that a second edition of a book 
has become necessary indicates that it has met someneed. The second edition 
of WetrstEIn’s Handbuch® does not differ essentially from the first edition. 
Minor inaccuracies have been corrected, additions have been made both from 
the rapidly increasing literature and from the author’s own investigations, 
and a large number of illustrations, of the same high grade which made the 
first volume useful, have been added. As in the first edition, the work on 
angiosperms is particularly extensive, occupying about one-half of the entire 
book. This part of the work presents a compact, profusely illustrated account 
of all the more important families, which should give the beginner a sound 
foundation for advanced work, and which cannot fail to be helpful even to the 
Professional taxonomist. « It is encouraging to note that in discussing the phy- 
logeny of angiosperms, the monocotyls are derived from the lower dicotyls.— 
HARLES J. CHAMBERLAIN. 
Ornamental shrubs.—It is safe to predict that the latest handbook by 
APGaR,? while intended for the general public, will prove most useful to the 
teaching botanist who has occasion to draw much of his material from parks 
and greenhouses. In its scope the volume includes not only native and 
hardy shrubs, but also introduced forms, many of which are conservatory 
plants in the northern United States. Numerous keys, based mostly upon 
leaf characters, appear to be most efficient in aiding the student to identify 
ee area nt 
6 Wetrstemn, R: V., Handbuch der systematischen Botanik. 2d edition. 8vo. 
PP. viiit-or4. figs. 600. Leipzig: Franz Deuticke. 1910. M 24. 
7 ApGar, Austin C., Ornamental shrubs of the United States. 12mo. pp. 352. 
Jigs. 621. New York: American Book Company. 1910. $1.50. 
