1910] CURRENT LITERATURE 153 
investigation the author succeeded in growing the fungus in pure cultures, and 
thus obtained sporangia belonging to the genus Phytophthora. By means of 
zoospores, not only lilacs but also a number of other plants were infected, showing 
close relationship of the fungus to Phytophthora omnivora DeBary. The rela- 
tionship is discussed at length, and although the author is somewhat doubtful 
in his conclusion, he is inclined to regard the fungus as a species (P. Syringae) 
differing slightly in morphological and biological characteristics from DEBARY’s 
P. omnivora—H. HassELBRING. 
The problems of life.—In 1900 Gic110-Tos published the first part of his 
work under this titles The general thesis of the book is that vital phenomena 
are all referable to relatively simple fundamental causes, and in the first part 
there is an attempt to set forth a logical and consistent hypothesis of the organiza- 
tion of protoplasm and its fundamental functions. The second part appeared 
in 1903,° and applied the same method to the phenomena of ontogeny. In 1905 
the third part was published,’ extending the author’s hypothesis to the phenomena 
of fertilization and heredity. Now the fourth and last part has appeared,’ and 
reduces to relative simplicity the important problems of variation and the origin 
of species. The theory of the whole book begins with an assumption regarding 
the molecular structure of protoplasm and the nature of assimilation, and applies 
this assumption by a logical series of deductions to the most fundamental problems 
of biology. The logic may be good, but it cannot transform the assumption, 
interesting as it may be, into a fact. Even a fact is influential only in its own 
immediate neighborhood, and the author has traveled far beyond the region where 
an initial fact, much less an assumption, can be serviceable —J. M. C. 
A new flora of California.— Two parts of A flora of California by JEPSON® 
have been published recently. Part I contains the families Pinaceae to Taxaceae 
and Part II the Salicaceae to Urticaceae inclusive. The text is printed in carefully 
selected’type which differentiates admirably the subject matter on the page. The 
descriptions, while full and accurate, are not overtechnical; the bibliography and 
Synonomy are presented in sufficient detail to give a ready understanding without 
being cumbersome, and particular emphasis is given to the geographical distri- 
bution of species and varieties. Several well reproduced photographs and numer- 
ous original figures materially supplement the text. New species are describe 
in Cupressus and Quercus. The publication happily combines scientific accuracy 
5 Review in Bor. GazeTrE 31:275. 190r. 
° Ibid. 372151. 1904. 7 Ibid. 412450. 1909. 
8 GIGLI0-Tos, ERMANNO, Les problémes de la vie. IV¢ partie: La variation et 
Porigine des espces, 8vo. pp. viit+222. Cagliari: The author, at the University. 
toro, fr. 8. 
9 Jerson, W. L., A flora of California. Royal 8vo. Part I, pp. 33-64. Sigs. 13; 
Part II, pp. 337-368. figs. 5. San Francisco: Cunningham, Curtiss, and Welch. 1909. 
