EOOKS EECEIVED. 



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" Nature Teaching." By Francis Watts. (I)ulau Co., 37 Soho 

 Square, London.) 



In things horticultural the British public is very apt to run after any- 

 thing that is big, and to look slightingly on things of lesser dimensions. 

 Gladly will the British matron give a sixpence for a huge * Pitmaston 

 Duchess ' pear and grudge a penny for a little * Thompson ' or ' Comte de 

 Lamy.' Well, such folk need not buy this little l^ook, for even for a 

 shilling, which we believe to be its price, it is "no size at all." But if 

 this should meet the eye of anyone who values quality before dimensions 

 let him not hesitate, for this little volume is full from the first page to the 

 last of the most practical teaching of elementary facts relating to plants 

 and plant cultivation we have ever come across. It is issued by the 

 Commissioner for Agriculture of the W^est Indies, and is intended for the 

 use of elementary schools, and most admirably is it adapted for the 

 purpose. We envy the little West Indians getting such plain and withal 

 such interesting school teaching. In its present form it naturally (in 

 illustrating any principle or fact) takes its example from among the 

 common plants and fruits of the West Indies, but so well is it arranged 

 and planned that any teacher here in England could easily substitute as 

 an example some other plant or fruit well known to his class. An edition 

 of it arranged specially for England would be a real boon to those children 

 who have not a teacher at hand able to suggest suitable substitute 

 examples. 



" The Book of the Greenhouse." By J. C. Tallack. (John Line, 

 London.) 2s. Qd. Crown 8vo. 



This is the second volume of the Practical Handbook Series, and Mr. 

 Tallack's name is guarantee that all has been done that can be done in 

 dealing with so large a subject in so small a compass. To condense all 

 there is to be said about "the Greenhouse," and "the plants to grow in 

 it," and "how to grow them " — to condense it all into 100 pages " passes 

 the wit of man," we think. But Mr. Tallack has made the most of the 

 space at his command, and not a line is wasted on literary efibrt or on 

 elaborate description ; all is used up on thoroughly practical advice and 

 comment and directions ; indeed, it is astonishing how much is compressed 

 into these 100 pages. Any amateur wishing to succeed with a little (or 

 for the matter of that, with a big) greenhouse will do well to procure 

 this book. One great and serious defect we must point out — there is no 

 index. This should be the very first point seen to in publishing the 

 second edition, which is sure to be called for ere long. 



" Elementary Botany." By Professor Percy Groom (Geo. Bell Sons, 

 London). 275 illustrations. 3s. 6d. Crown 8vo. 



Professor Groom, from a very wide and long experience as an Examiner 

 in Botany, knows exactly the weak points of students — want of observa- 

 tion, insufficient examination of living plants, frequent confusion in the 

 use of technical terms — the first two arising from too exclusive a book 

 knowledge, and the third from the use of too advanced treatises before the 

 prinier of the subject has been learned. He has therefore set himself to 

 write a book which shall in every part and detail stimulate observation 



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