160 



THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



these questions about a given plant is certain to know it pretty 

 thoroughly. The notebook is an agreeable change from that 

 type of book in which the ends sought were the common and 

 scientific names of the plants. It ought to^ do a great deal 

 toward developing a race of philosophical botanists. The 

 Notebooks are issued by the Comstock Publishing Co., Ithaca, 

 N. Y., at 30 cents each. 



In ''My Growing Garden", J. Horace McFarland has 

 detailed the rejuvenation of an old garden which, after many 

 years of neglect, came under his care. From late winter into 

 spring, through the growing season and on until the plants 

 have entered into another period of rest, 'the reader is carried 

 by a bright and interesting narrative whose only defect is an 

 inclination to slang of a not especially expressive character. 

 The chief interest in the book lies in the fact that it is an 

 account of a real garden and tells about plants, plant methods, 

 and. results that are sure to interest the great race of amateur 

 gardeners, though they may not be especially helped in their 

 own gardening operations thereby. The book is well made 

 and contains several excellent illustrations. It is published by 

 the Macmillan Company at $2.00. 



The editor of this magazine has written a little ''Botanical 

 Textbooklet" designed to give the non-botanical a short cut 

 to knowledge by enabling him to recognize the members of the 

 principal plant families at a g'lance. Often a single character 

 is enough tO' identify such a family. In addition to- a descrip- 

 tion of such characters, there is more or less information con- 

 cerning the number and distribution of the species in each 

 group, the color of the flowers, the edible, medicinal and other 

 qualities they possess, with the names of the more conspicuous 

 genera. The "Textbooklet" is sent free to all new subscribers 

 who ask for it at the time of subscribing, and to those who 

 renew for two years in advance. To others the price is 25 cents. 



