602 



JOUEXAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and compel personal examination of the plants discussed, and yet be free 

 as far as it is possible from the too frequent use of technical terms and 

 expressions. A difficult task indeed, but he has fulfilled it almost to the 

 letter. It is a thorough student's book, no twaddle, no imaginary conver- 

 sations between impossibly good children and inanely omniscient old 

 ladies— a thorough student's book, but expressed in the pleasantest 

 possible way and always with a view to make a distinct call upon the 

 personal observation of the student. Professor Groom's idea was to 

 make his book useless without actual examination of the plants he speaks 

 of, but in this respect w^e do not think he has entirely succeeded, for the 

 plate 3 and figures are so numerous, so clear, and so life-like, and the 

 letterpress so plain and lucid, that although having the plants actually in 

 ]iand must be a great advantage, and from all points of view is most 

 desirable, still even without them the book cannot help teaching by itself. 

 It is to be placed on the list of text-books recommended for the use of 

 students preparing for the Society's examinations. 



" L'lioi for English Gardens." By Gertrude Jekyll. (Geo. Newnes, 

 Limited, London.) 8.v. G^/. 8vo. 



Another of Miss Jekyll's delightsome volumes. It will be welcomed 

 by all garden-lovers, containing as it does the knowledge and experience 

 of all the best English growers, expressed in the pleasantly rippling 

 sentences of this accomplished writer. The book would be worth 

 possessing for the letterpress alone, and 'vice versco for the illustrations 

 only, of which, by the way, there arc no fewer than sixty-two, mostly full- 

 page ones, and executed with that perfect clearness so characteristic 

 of all that issues from the Ccuntry Life press. 



"The Book of the Grape." By H. W. Ward. (John Lane, London.) 

 25. Qd. Crown 8vo. 



Excellent advice is given for amateurs on the structure and lieating 

 of a vinery, and on the soil to plant the vines in. Methods of raising 

 from eyes and by grafting are explained and illustrated, and the treatment 

 and culture fully gone into. We note with satisfaction that Mr. Ward 

 gives the correct spelling of the well-known grape ' Gros Colmar,' and 

 does not, as nine growers out of ten do, call it ' Gros Colman.' He is 

 also not far from the truth when he describes it as being only "of 

 moderate quality," for it is the poorest in quality of all the grapes 

 ordinarily grown, and has nought but its size and appearance to ccmmend 

 it. ]\Iarket growers, however, know perfectly well by experience that the 

 great British public prefer size and colour with little or no flavour in 

 fruits, to abundant flavour with less size and colour, as %dtness the ready 

 sale of Pitmaston and Clairgeau pears and Gros Colmar grapes. 



'• The Gardener's Assistant." By Robert Thompson. New edition 

 by W. Watson, F.R.H.8. (Gresham Publishing Company, London.) In 

 G vols. 8s. each. 



Vol. IV., w^hich has lately reached us, is concerned entirely Avith the 

 Fruit Garden and Orchard, and is replete with excellent advice. There 

 is a very instructive chapter also on the subject of spraying fruit trees, 



