28 THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 
Trees and their Life Histories. By Percy Groom, M.A., 
D.Se., &e. Illustrated from photographs by Henry Irvine. 
Ato, cl., pp. xvi. 407. Price 25s. net. Cassell & Co. [No 
e.] 
date 
PRINTER, publisher, and — have combined to make this a 
handsome and attractive a. But it must be said at the 
outset that those who buy it oath g to find a collection of 
good em eat with the usual chatty gossiping more or less 
accurate account of trees and their literary and historical associa- 
tions will ‘ety disappointed in the latter, though not in the former 
anticipation. Dr. Groom’s aim is “rather to o guide the interested 
bserver of Nature than to attract the book-lover”; he has pro- 
vided for the folk who really observe and want to ‘know, rather 
than for those who gush about Nature but do not care to study it, 
and by so doing he has conferred a benefit upon a class too little 
provided for, standing as they do between the mere dilettante, 
for whom Mr. F. E. Hulme and other writers are recognize 
purveyors, and the scientific nee for whom the late Prof. 
Marshall Ward made ample provision. Dr. Groom’s treatment of 
his subject is indeed scientific, bie it presents no difficulties which 
those who want to know will find serious; and the admirable 
illustrations—more than five hundred in number—render the book 
thoroughly attractive. 
ough there is no saeune ts ‘treat the subject in a popular 
style, De Groom has avoided unnecessary technicalities; we 
think, however, that a short glossary would be a useful addition 
to the book, and we regret the almost entire omission of any in- 
teirantion as to geographical distribution—we are not even told 
which are native and which introduced. This, however, the 
author may say is no part of the “ life-history.” The selection is 
excellent and representative, although we think the Chestnut 
should na found a place. 
As we have already said, the book owes much of its attractive- 
ness to the very numerous and admirable illustrations, all of them 
from photographs by Mr. Henry Irving. Some of these—notably 
the full-page ill 
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