1887] Recent Literature. 647 
the “ Pottery of the Ancient Pueblos,” the “ Ancient Pottery of 
the Mississippi Valley,” and as a corollary thereto the “Origin and 
Development of Ornament in Ceramic Art.” Mr. F. H. Cushing 
gives a study of Pueblo pottery as illustrative of Zuñi culture- 
rowth. These papers afford ample illustrations of the laws 
already laid down of the development of the ceramic art, an 
are to be regarded as proving and confirming the gradual evolu- 
tion of the potter’s trade, rather than as advancing new ideas. 
This, however, must not be taken as adverse criticism,,but, on 
the contrary, as a recognition of an important point in the 
articles. In connection with them the reader should refer to 
Professor F. W. Putnam’s recent paper on “ Conventionalism in 
Ancient American Art” (Bulletin Essex Inst, xviii, 1887), to 
which we shall have occasion to refer again. ; 
_ Beal’s Grasses of North America.'—This volume is, in fact, 
Part I. of a large work the second part of which, we are informed 
in the preface, is in preparation. When completed it will be the 
most important work on grasses ever brought out in this country. 
The part before us includes seventeen chapters devoted to the 
following subjects,—viz., structure, form, and development of 
grasses; the power of motion in plants; plant-growth ; classify- 
ing, naming, describing, collecting, studying; native grazing- 
lands; grasses for cultivation; early attempts to cultivate 
grasses; testing seeds; some common weeds; grasses for pas- 
It will thus be seen that the range of topics is much wider 
than that which we usually find in books designed for popular 
use. In fact, it is doubtful whether many farmers will care much 
for the first three or four chapters ; but, for all that, it is a hopeful 
sign when an author who is as well acquainted with the farming 
classes as Dr. Beal is, will deliberately open his book with a sci- 
entific discussion of structure, form, and development. Many a 
farm boy, in consulting this book, will be inspired with a desire 
to learn more about the methods of scientific study. 
-In the first chapter there are many matters touched upon which 
are interesting to the scientific botanist. The closed sheaths of 
-~ some grasses and the partially-closed ones of many others are 
+3 re i 4 a 
Pe A 
1 to, and some interesting figures are given. The mech- 
Grasses of North America, fòr Farmers and Students, comprising chapters on 
their physiology, composition, selection, improving, cultivation, ment of- 
also chapters injuri i 
_ M.A., M.Sc., Ph.D., Professor of Botany and Forestry in Michigan Agricultural 
. 
pyrighted by the author. Agricultural College, Mich., - 
$ 
