1886, } Botany. 647 
matter the writer took his copy to a binder.and had: the margins 
cut down, resulting in what is probably the handiest botanical 
manual in the country. This improved copy is now exactly seven 
and three-eighths inches long and four and seven-eighths wide, 
and weighs but thirteen ounces. It slips into an ordinary pocket 
with the greatest ease, and can be carried by the collector wher- 
ever he goes. 
ow it must be remembered that this reduced copy of the 
“ Tourists’ edition” is printed from the identical plates used for 
the large book, and that apparently no attempt was made by the 
printer to reduce the size of page by printing closer to the zumer 
margin, where at least a quarter of an inch might easily have 
been saved. It is probable that with considerable care the width 
of the book might be reduced to four and a half inches. 
_ Until we can have something better let us have thin-paper edi- 
tions of Gray’s, Coulter’s and Chapman’s manuals, printed and 
bound with narrow margins a// around, and „with flexible covers 
which project but little if at all beyond the pages. Then let our 
publishers seriously consider the problem of giving us all this at 
,& moderate cost. 
When new editions of these manuals are made, the publishers 
can save much space by the use of thinner leads, so as to crowd 
the matter closer upon the pages. In this way not far from sev- 
enty-five pages might be saved, while by the use of smaller type 
here and there the saving might be easily carried to a hundred 
pages. A little book of 392 pages—the Tourists’ Guide to the 
Flora of the Alps—lately issued by an English firm, might well 
taken as a model. Of it a recent reviewer says : “ Printed in clear 
type on thin paper, and bound in red leather in pocket-book form, 
it weighs less than five ounces, and is thus really suited for the 
> And yet this book is sold for five shillings, that is, for 
about two-fifths what is charged for Coulter’s “ Tourist h 
les E. Bessey. 
A Czar Hanp-Book oF Mossrs.—One of the neatest little 
botanical books which has appeared for many a day is the Hand- 
k of Mosses, by J. E. Bagnall, and published by the well- 
dawn London firm of Swan Sonnenschein & Co. It isa thin 
mo book of about one hundred pages, contains thirty-nine _ 
Mustrations, is bound in cloth with tastefully ornamented cover, 
and sells for one English shilling. ` oe ; 
The chapters treat of the following topics, viz: Appliances 
and Material required for the study; development; moss habitats ; 
Classification ; geographical distribution ; cultivation; uses; pre- + 
gta a Specimens for the cabinet and herbarium. The chapter 
pc classification treats the subject in a general way only, giving 
Wi ore than the characters of the tribes. : 
beck wish it were possible for American publishers to put a 
of the quality, size and price of this one upon the market. 
vou, XX.—nNo. vu. 43 i ‘4 i : 
* 
we, 
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