248 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



" Chrysanthemums." By Thomas Stevenson. With chapters 

 by C. Harman Payne and Charles E. Shea. 8vo., 112 pp. (Jack, 

 London, 1912.) is. 6d. net. 



Like all the " Present-da}' Gardening " series, this book is most 

 entertaining. The introduction, dealing with the history of the 

 chrysanthemum, will be enjoyed by many people who take not the 

 slightest interest in chrysanthemum cultivation. It appears to be 

 one of the oldest flowers in cultivation, and was mentioned in the 

 writings of Confucius about 500 B.C., since when it has known many 

 vicissitudes, but has always been more or less popular. 



There is a very interesting chapter by Mr. Charles Shea on the 

 raising of seedlings, which is a comparatively simple operation if 

 attention is given to the necessary details. 



All the various types of flower are described, with particulars of 

 cultivation for exhibition and border work, and eight varieties are 

 beautifully depicted in colour-photography by T. Ernest Waltham. 



" Plant Diseases." By Dr. W. F. Bruck. Translated by Professor 

 J. R. Ainsworth-Davis, M.A. 8vo, 152 pp. (Blackie, London, 1912.) 

 2s. net. 



This little book will serve the beginner as an introduction to the 

 pests of various cultivated crops, but it does not deal at all thoroughly 

 with the important question of the methods to be adopted in order 

 to get the upper hand of the pests that are sure to be met with. One 

 important point is recognized in the book, viz. that in order to avoid 

 plant diseases the best thing the cultivator can possibly do is to keep 

 his plants in health. This is too often overlooked, and there has 

 grown up in some quarters the entirely false idea that the scientific 

 cultivation of plants is concerned in fighting pests, and in that alone! 

 There are more comprehensive books on the subject treated in this 

 country and some dealing more intimately with diseases too frequently 

 met with, but lacking these the grower will be able to learn a con- 

 siderable amount of important matter from this little treatise. 



"Heredity." By Professor J. A. Thomson, M.A. Ed. 2. 8vo, 

 xvi + 627 pp. (Murray, London, 1912.) 9s. net. 



We are glad this admirable book has reached a second edition so 

 soon. When it was first issued five years ago we read and reviewed 

 it with great pleasure, and now that the author has been able to revise 

 it and bring up to date the matters in which so much progress has 

 been made during the past few years it will still maintain its position 

 as one of the most able and readable books on the subject of which 

 it treats. 



" No Plant Disease." By Arnold Eiloart. 8vo., 89 pp. (Daniel, 

 London, 1913.) is. net. 



Within the past few years there has arisen an idea in some quarters 

 that the use of animal refuse as a fertilizing medium is " unclean " 



