46 Recent Literature. [ January, 
tions to its surroundings; diffusion, osmosis and absorption of 
liquids ; soils, ash constituents, and water culture ; transfer of water 
through the plant; assimilation; changes of organic matter in 
the plant; vegetable growth; movements ; reproduction ; the seed 
and its germination ; resistance of plants to untoward influences. 
The whole volume thus covers the field of the general anatomy 
and physiology of plants, and especially of the flowering-plants. 
In looking over the chapters one is struck with the fact that in 
them much new material has been brought for the first time be- 
fore the American student. There is thusa freshness about much 
of the matter which adds greatly to its interest. The treatment, 
part of the matter is the result of work done in German labora- 
tories 
A noticeable feature of the book is its wider range of subjects 
than is usual in botanical works. There is much in it which we 
are accustomed to consider as belonging to agriculture and agri- 
cultural chemistry. This feature will commend the book to the 
teachers and students in our agricultural colleges. We have 
thus in chapter vii such topics as the following taken up and 
discussed at some length, viz: Formation of soils; classification 
of soils ; condensation of gases by soils ; temperature of soils; etc., 
etc. In chapter xvi we have discussed the following practical 
topics, viz: Winter killing ; improper food ; noxious gases ; liquid 
and solid poisons; mechanical injuries. 
The chapters which interest us most are the tenth, eleventh and 
twelfth, devoted respectively to assimilation, change of organic 
matter in the plant, and vegetable growth. In the first there is 
some danger of confusion from the double sense in which the 
word assimilation is used, viz: 1, For the conversion of all food- 
matter (in which sense it is employed in the heading to the chap- 
ter and headings of the pages throughout the chapter), and 2, the 
appropriation of carbon. This last is called assimilation proper 
(p. 285), and a few lines further on the statement is made that “ the 
term assimilation in the following pages will be made to refer to 
the appropriation of carbon.” Aside from this confusion of terms, 
the treatment is exceedingly satisfactory. In the eleventh chapter 
the word transmutation is used in place of the usual one, metas- 
tasis, or the less usual one, metabolism. This appears to us to be 
a desirable improvement in the nomenclature of the subject. 
The chapter on vegetable growth brings before the student the 
latest results of the German investigators, and this is done in so 
clear and concise a manner as to leave nothing to be desired, The 
author has sifted the great mass of literature upon this subject and 
siven in summary form the results, : 
The illustrations throughout the volume are drawn mainly from 
Be eee i 
