BOOKS REVIEWED. 



197 



clearly defined which is the true London Plane, for an erroneous opinion 

 regarding this well-marked variety is unfortunately by no means uncom- 

 mon. 



" Trees : a Handbook of Forest Botany for the Woodlands and 

 Laboratory." By H. Marshall Ward, Sc. D. Vol. i., Buds and Twigs. 

 fc*vo.j 271 pp. (Cambridge University Press.) 4s. 6d. net. 



It is not often that we find the physiological botanist equally at home 

 in morphology, but a perusal of this book will reveal the fact that the 

 author has a deep insight into both, and has been able to bring home to 

 his readers a partially new but most fascinating subject — buds, their 

 form, position, and constitution. But it is not alone for the purely 

 scientific botanist that this work has been prepared, for we can see what 

 a boon it will be even to the gardener, nurseryman, and forester who wish 

 to be abreast of the times and to treat their hardwooded plants, particularly 

 in the matter of pruning, in a reasonable and common-sense way. Of 

 particular value will be the tables, which have been prepared at a great 

 outlay of time and thought, on the best method of recognising various 

 species even in winter, when the foliage is absent ; while the illustrations 

 will greatly help by their clearness and aptness to explain the text. The 

 book is to be highly recommended. 



" Two Prize Essays on the Adaptation of Land for Afforestation." 

 By Mr. A. C. Forbes and Professor W. R. Fisher. 8vo., 104 pp. 

 (Laughton & Co., Strand.) 



Both are excellent essays, one especially, that of Mr. Forbes, having 

 the true ring of the practical forester about it, the whole treatment of the 

 subject being that of the man who has passed through the ranks and 

 engaged personally in the various operations connected with the manage- 

 ment of our woodlands. 



For those who are interested in the afforesting of our waste and un- 

 profitable lands much valuable information as to acquiring the necessary 

 ground, clearing, fencing, planting, and after management will be found 

 in these papers, while the important question of cost has not been over- 

 looked. 



The pressing necessity for the planting of mountain and heath land 

 so as to provide at home some of the vast quantity of timber annually 

 required in this country has on many former occasions received attention, 

 and it is to be hoped that the do-nothing attitude of the State in the past 

 in the matter of increasing the acreage of our woodlands will receive a 

 stimulus by these excellent essays. We are also confident that re-afforest- 

 ing would have a most marked and beneficial effect on our climate, and 

 still more so on the regulation and storage of our water supplies. 



" The Timbers of Commerce and their Identification." By Herbert 

 Stone, F.L.S., F.R.C.S. 8vo., 311 pp. (W. Rider & Son, London.) 

 7s. 6d. net. 



A wonderful compilation when the vast range of timbers dealt ^ith, 

 and the difficulty in many cases of procuring specimens, are taken into 



