Publications Received. 379 
while its retraction must be difficult, being obstructed by the ten- 
dency of the little branches. Ina fibre of merino wool, the num- 
ber of these reversions or projections amounted to 2400 in the space 
of one inch. In a fibre of Saxon wool of acknowledged superior felt- 
ing quality there were 2720 senations. Southdown wool, being 
inferior to those two for felting power, only contained 2080 sena- 
tions in one inch of fibre, while Leicester wool contained no more 
than 1860 in one inch; and Leicester wocl is known to be little 
adapted for felting purposes. 
26. Present state of Agriculture.—A perfected agriculture can 
result only from nice adjustments—a determination of the nature of 
the matter to be dealt with, and its inherent forces, combined with 
a special knowledge of the individual organization and its functional 
wants. Defective products are mainly due to functional wants ; there 
are no truly diseased products or disorganized organs. Graduate 
the supplies to the nutrient powers, satisfy the capacities of the plant 
at the proper time, and, all other things being adjusted, the hus- 
bandry is perfect ; or give the plant its climate, temper the heat and 
moisture to its constitution, make its physical condition happy, and 
put within its reach the assimilating elements, and enough is done to 
ensure productive returns. But to do this requires probably more 
knowledge of soils, and of the cultivated vegetables, than we now 
possess. The object is to supply without waste, to cheapen the pro- 
duct by the expenditure of the least labour, and restricting the food 
to the kind and quantity, so that it shall not be lost by escaping into 
the air, or being washed to remote parts by rains. It is evident that 
adjustments require a complete insight into the physiology of vege- 
tation—its incipient stage, its maturing strength, the peculiar or 
special products to be formed, the elements composing them, and the 
best form in which these elements can be combined to meet all the 
wants of the being. As I have already said, functional endowments 
must be considered ; hence, to pursue that course with a plant which 
will give it an early vigorous constitution, a full development of its 
organs in its first stages, and the foundation is laid for the full 
amount of the products sought.—(Emmons’ Natural History of New 
York.) 
NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. 
1. Siluria. The History of the Oldest Known Rocks containing Organic 
Remains, with a brief Sketch of the Distribution of Gold over the Earth. By 
Sir Roderick Impey Murchison. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street. 
- his will remain the standard work on geology for many years to come; and 
as it contains much novel information not to be found in any other work, 
it ought to be in the hands of every geologist. 
