﻿deals with pitcher-plants, other insectivorous plants, 

 plants, relations of plants with each other and with animals, distri- 

 bution after a mild fashion, leaves, &c. They are all subjects 

 everybody knows something about, many of them of transitory 

 theories, subjects about which the angry passions rise, and scientific 

 sportsmen consequently keep an eye on them. There are always 

 "crowns to be broke" on any of these subjects, and the last comer 

 generally prevails. Prof. Geddes knows all these theories from 

 day to day, and is by no means averse from having some of his own, 

 which makes his writings all the more readable, and adds to the 

 gaiety of the reader, as well as to his mental discipline and 

 resources. We have derived singular pleasure from reading his 

 book, and should like to see his lucidity of exposition and resource- 

 fulness of illustration become a wider possession. These things 

 will probably be brought against this book by those who think 

 Botany cannot be scientific except it be a "remainder biscuit" in 

 dryness. "How can a man write seriously who dances all over the 

 subject in this fashion?" is the sort of question that will be asked. 

 Well, of course he can— and in fact in this book he mostly does. 

 Prof. Geddes has suffered from Mr. Grant Allen, Mr. Eomanes 

 and other gushers a good deal — we do not mean the evil com- 

 panionship of their books has corrupted him, but merely in 

 reputation. Many people who ought to know better classify him 

 with Mr. Grant Allen. They have both tried to do the same sort 

 of thing. Prof. Geddes has succeeded in interesting botanists and 

 young students— Mr. Grant Allen and Mr. Eomanes have also 

 succeeded in making them smile. There is a large class beyond 

 the University Extension movement who would profit by reading 

 this book ; many botanists, specialists of distinction who fill a part 

 of the science with light, would be none the worse for reading it, 

 and learning "how the world wags" in these interesting chapters 

 on plant physiology. 



to refrain from writing this book — there was no undue temptation. 

 The Science and Art Department, with all its "requirements" 

 bristling upon it, would not have perished, and the blameless young 

 person did not assemble and cry aloud for such a guide as this to 

 the 



fairly well. The excellent cryptogai 

 Practical Botany, of which we are glad to see there 

 reduced edition, does all that is needed 



Miss Ross has boiled down the type system to its 

 ed for the happy 

 For the sake of giving practical i 



ued the result as a book : 



such books as Bower's and Strasburger's use a condensed method 

 of statement as is necessary. Miss Ross has taken the defects 

 of such a method, and made a Manual of Cryptogamic Botany on 

 the plan— a shorthand sort of Botany. It fills one with jlespair. 

 The old buttercup and daisy pla: 



