CURRENT LITERATURE 
BOOK REVIEWS 
The teaching botanist 
The second and revised edition of this book' is almost completely rewritten 
and is larger than the former edition by more than 60 per cent. The general 
plan is quite similar to that of the former book, which was reviewed in this 
journal eleven years ago (28:276. 1899). During the intervening years atten- 
tion to the teaching of science has greatly increased; and the author has been 
a potent factor in stimulating a scientific attitude toward science teaching. 
Although the results of experiments that have been included in this volume 
have not furnished solutions to many of the difficult problems, some progress 
has been made in the direction pointed out in the introduction to the first 
edition, in which the author said: “The botanical course of the near future must 
be more adaptive to education, more broad and representative of the science, 
more economical of energy than in the past.” ; 
The book consists of two parts and an appendix. Part one includes nine 
chapters which deal with the purpose and methods of botanical teaching. It 
treats of such topics as the place of science in education, the kind of botany that 
is of most educational worth, desirable characteristics of good teaching and good 
teachers, the equipment and method of work in the laboratory, botanical 
books, etc. These discussions are of the greatest value to anyone who teaches 
botany, and some of the chapters will be found equally helpful to teachers of 
other sciences. The discussions are broad, free from a didactic attitude, and 
full of stimulus to new endeavor on the part of those who are engaged in teach- 
ing science. The practical suggestions regarding laboratory appliances and 
€ purpose and means of experimentation are almost indispensable to Pro- 
gressive teachers. : 
Part two consists of “outlines and directions for a synthetic course In 
science of botany.” It is divided first into the “structure and function of 
plants,” a commendable change from the former titles “the principles of the 
science of botany,” and “natural history and classification of the groups of 
plants.” The order of the topics within these divisions is essentially the same 
as in the first edition, but the outlines for work are greatly changed. They 
are more complete and more definite, more easily interpreted by the student, 
and at the same time better calculated to secure independent investigation 
and inference. Although the outlines purport to represent a synthetic COMER, 
the 
: GANONG, Wrttram F., The teaching botanist. Revised edition. pp. *i+439- 
Sigs. 40. New York: Macmillan. rgro. 
310 
