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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



higher than the periphery of the fohage. 

 We found few of them in flower, but 

 enough for our inquisitive purpose. To 

 the taste, the fohage is strongly aro- 

 matic, pungent, and bitter, and recalls 

 the foliage of the common sage-brush 

 (Artemisia). Apparently no animal eats 

 the stems or foliage of the White Brittle- 

 bush, and we are very glad of it, for it 

 is truly a soft and pleasing thing- to con- 

 template on the scowling %va-fields. The 

 mountain sheep doubtless shared our 

 views, since nearly eveijy <one killed was 

 found to have browsed]' amply on the 

 slender, delicate dead flower-stalks of 

 the last season that still adhered to the 

 stems and projected above the grayish*^ 

 green mass. Tliis;, bush.Us said to be' 

 widespread in thei-^sputh^estern desert, 

 but I did not notice- it anywhere outside 

 the Pinacate-Sonovta 'region, which may 

 have been my fault. 



Naturially, in such a wild and weird 

 spot as the Pinacate region, every plant, 

 tree, and living creature is of interest — 

 rendered so by the grim surroundings 

 and the intensity of the struggle to sur- 

 vive. It is fair to assume that the plant 

 life we saw at the Papago Tanks repre- 

 sents only the bolder and hardiest species 

 of the southwestern desert region, be- 

 cause were they otherwise they assuredly 

 would not be there. 



BOOK REVIEWS 



Physical and Commercial Geography. By H. E. 

 Gregory, A. G. Keller, and A. L. Bishop. 

 Pp. 8 and 469, 9x6. Boston : Ginn & Co. 

 1910. 



Most commercial geographies contain more or 

 less physical geography, since without a knowl- 

 edge of the physical environment no adequate 

 study of the economic condition of a country can 

 be made. But this is, we believe, the first com- 

 mercial geography which has included the word 

 "physical" in its title. The book is in three 



parts, the different parts having been prepared 

 by the authors severally. They are as follows : 

 (i) A description of the natural environment, 

 physical geography, to which is devoted 123 

 pages; (2) the relations of man.to this environ- 

 ment, to which is given an equal amount; (3) 

 the products, industries, and commerce of the 

 United States and the British and the German 

 Empires %bsorb the remainder of the book. 



This book more nearly meets the need for a 

 text-book on its subject than any of its prede- 

 cessors. Most of the works on commercial 

 geography^are, because of their fullness of de- 

 tail, rathetvybooks of reference than text-books. 

 This one treats few commodities, but represent- 

 ative ones, '5&nM few countries, but those the 

 leading cor^mercial countries. Special impor- 

 :-.%a3ice is^gi\'f n to the relations of man to his en- 

 vironment, the^climate, fauna, flora, topography, 

 water, etc., '^nd his adaptability to changes in it. 

 Means and .routes of transportation and their 

 development "aye discussed, and the increase of 

 trade ' with increasing civilization. The book 

 is illustrated with twenty-nine maps and dia- 

 grams. H. G. 



Beyond the Mexican Sierras. By Dillon Wal- 

 lace. Pp. 35 and 301, 5^x8. Chicago: 

 A. C. McClurg & Co. 1910. Price, $2.00. 

 This is a narrative of journeyings in a little- 

 known land, southwestern Mexico. The story 

 is graphic and full of interest. The illustra- 

 tions are abundant and excellent. Here is a 

 region comprising many thousands of square 

 miles very sparsely populated with Indians and 

 full of big game ; a region of the greatest agri- 

 cultural and miningjj possibilities, lying unde- 

 veloped at our own dbors. H. G. 



The Indian and His Problem. By Francis E. 

 Leupp. Pp. 14 and 369, sA x 8. New 

 York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1910. 



The best book on the Indian that was ever 

 printed. Mr. Leupp writes with fullness of 

 knowledge of the characters of the Indians, of 

 their history, and of the conditions which sur- 

 round them. He thoroughly believes in the 

 policy now in execution of making citizens of 

 the Indians as rapidly as possible, consistent 

 with their well-being. It is much to be re- 

 gretted that Mr. Leupp could not have re- 

 mained at the head of the Indian Office until 

 this and other reforms with which he was 

 identified could have been completed. H. G. 



