inclined to do. These early volumes, however, contain a great 

 deal of matter that is still of interest, and should in some way be 

 made available. Other considerations aside, the cost of reprinting 

 entire would make the publication cost too much ; but if only the 

 scientific articles and notes were republished, leaving out every- 

 thing of transient interest, it is possible that it may soon be ac- 

 complished. The matter will make a volume of about 100 pages 

 the size of this. A moderate number of subscriptions at $i.co 

 each would be sufficient, and these should be forthcoming since 

 there are many who are willing to pay $3.50 for the back numbers 

 when offered for sale. All who are interested are invited to 

 address us at once, stating the number of copies they will sub- 

 scribe for at $1.00 each. If enough subscriptions are pledged the 

 work will be begun at once. We will also welcome suggestions as 

 to the arrangement of matter in the reprints. 



BOOK NEWS. 



With the coming of spring, and the turning of attention once 

 more to the flowers of the field, the young botanist will do well to 

 have a look at ''A Guide to the Wildflowers"* before selecting 

 his botanical mentor for the season. One of its chief attractions 

 is the wealth of colored plates by Mrs. Ellis Rowan, well known 

 for her spirited paintings of the wildflowers in many lands. 

 There are 64 of these plates besides 100 others in black and white, 

 in all representing some 200 of the well-known and representa- 

 tive plants of Eastern America. The book contains descriptions 

 of 500 species arranged according to the kinds of soil in which the 

 plants grow. In addition to the scientific descriptions there is 

 more or less matter of an untechnical nature concerning each 

 species. The book is an excellent one to supplement the ordinary 

 "Botany," which is usually too condensed to admit observations 

 not directly concerned with the identification of the plants. 



There are certain books that we lay on the shelf until we wish 

 to verify a fact, and certain others that when once begun are not 

 laid aside until the end is reached. Alice Morse Earle's ''Old- 



*A guide to the Wildflowers, by Alice Lounsberry, New York; The F. 

 A. Stokes Co., 1899. 8vo. ; $2.77. 



