40 



THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



what belies its title of an introduction, for one with no knowl- 

 edge of chemistry will certainly need an introduction to it. 

 This, however, is no' drawback in the book since it allows the 

 authors to plunge at once into the more technical part of the 

 subject. The book is divided into nine sections devoted re- 

 spectively to Fats and Oils, Carbohydrates, Glucosides, Tan- 

 nins, Pigments, Nitrogen Bases, Colloids, Proteins and 

 Enzymes. The substances belonging to- these groups are dis- 

 cussed extensively as to their occurrence, preparation, proper- 

 ties, reactions and mictochemical and other tests. The authors 

 have consulted the very considerable literature of the subject 

 and condensed the information into a form that should be of 

 much assistance to the chemist or botanist pursuing studies of 

 this kind. The book is an octavo of 400 pages and is published 

 by Longman, Green & Co., New York. 



If we are to believe the literateurs, the English novel was 

 originally a three volume affair, but the honor of making a 

 three volume garden book seems to belong solely tO' Abram 

 Linwood Urban whose ''Voice of the Garden" and "My 

 Garden of Dreams," already issued form two books in a cycle 

 of three, the last one entitled ''Garden Philosophy" being in an 

 advanced stage of preparation. Here the resemblance to a 

 three-volume novel ends, for the books are most interesting and 

 entertaining volumes dealing with a phase of nature that is as 

 yet barely touched upon in America. They are not books about 

 plants, but books filled with the thoughts which plants suggest 

 — the kind of books that the reviewer would like to write if he 

 took up the subject of gardens. "The Voice of the Garden" 

 consists of five chapters and the "Garden of Dreams" has about 

 twice as many. Both books are illustrated by photographs and 

 by decorations made by the author's daughter; Miss Grace 

 Lillian Urban. Such titles of chapters as Art in the Garden, 

 One's Own Garden and My Garden In Winter, selected at ran- 

 dom will give an idea of their scope. The publishers have 

 given the tQ±t an appropriate and beautiful setting which does 

 much to foster the good impression made by the author. The 

 books are published by Thomas Meehan and Sons, German- 

 town, Pa. The price of each volume is $1.00. 



