52 The American Naturalist. (January, 
alone. For the practical man who wishes to know what grass is 
growing in his meadows and pastures this book will prove of great 
value; and even to the botanist it will often be quite useful. The 
author says in his introduction: ‘‘If farmers, clergymen, school- 
masters, and botanists use this method of identification a flood of light 
will be thrown upon many questions at present involved in obscurity, 
and the agricultural community will assuredly be greatly benefited. 
In the treatment of the subject fourteen ‘‘ groups’’ of grasses are 
defined as follows : 
I. Characteristically colored grasses. 
IJ. Variegated grasses, 
III. Bulbous grasses, 
V. Cord-rooted grasses. 
V. Acute-sheathed grasses. 
VI. Net-sheathed grasses. 
VII. Bitter-tasted grasses. 
VIII. Bristle-bladed grasses. 
IX. Hard-bladed grasses. 
X. Hairy grasses, 
XI. Eared grasses. 
XII. Ribless-bladed grasses, with median lines. 
XIII. Hairless grasses, with very low and flat ribs. 
XIV. Ribs high and prominent, rounded, or acute. 
Many good figures are given, thus greatly aiding the student. m 
admirable feature of the figures is the frequency with which per 
tions of leaves are given. Ligules and leaf-tips are also freely sed 
‘Fhe work, although written for England, will be useful in this coun 
try.—Cuar.es E. Bessey 
