BOOK REVIEWS. 



253 



M Plant Geography." By Prof. G. S. Boulger. Sm. 8vo., 136 pp. 

 (Dent, London, 1912.) is. net. 



This small work contains three "Books," as well as one on 

 Bibliography and an Index. Though only of 130 pp. (6x4 in.) it 

 deals with eighteen subjects, e.g. Distribution of Land and Water in 

 the Past, Floras of the Past, the factors of Distribution, Environ- 

 ment, Insular Floras, Floristic Regions, &c, &c. Each subject is 

 packed with data; perhaps a little too fully for a Primer, and there 

 are too many new technical terms given, which some writers on 

 Ecology have needlessly multiplied to an inordinate degree. The 

 readers will hnd the subject as fully worked out as possible in the 

 circumstances. 



" Herbals, their Origin and Evolution : A Chapter in the History 

 of Botany, 1470-1670." By Agnes Arber, D.Sc. &c. 8vo., 253 pp., 

 with 21 plates and 113 text-figures. (University Press, Cambridge, 

 1912.) 10s. 6d. net. 



This book contains eight chapters dealing with the following 

 subjects : — The Early History of Botany ; The earliest printed Herbals 

 (fifteenth century) ; The early History of the Herbal in England ; 

 The Botanical Renaissance of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. 

 Then follow three chapters on the Evolution of the Art of Plant 

 Description, of Plant Classification, and of illustrations. 



Lastly, the Doctrine of Signatures and Astrological Botany are 

 considered. 



Each chapter deals very ably with the subject confined to it, and 

 all the principal Herbals are described and illustrated. Excellent 

 contemporary portraits of some of the most eminent " Botanists " 

 are also given. Those who are interested in the subject will find 

 very much and well digested information. Though professedly 

 treating of Herbals, of the two hundred years (1470 to 1670), there 

 is an excellent epitome of the earliest writers, such as of Aristotle and 

 Theophrastus, to whom Pliny and Dioscorides, of the first century, 

 were much indebted. 



Before the days of printing, many " medical works " were written, 

 especially during the fourteenth century. They dealt entirely with 

 drugs and their supposed virtues : even anaesthetics are described, 

 being used for surgical operations of the fifteenth century ; but 

 being composed of such poisons as opium, belladonna, bryony, henbane, 

 &c, all combined in one dose, it is no wonder that the use ceased at 

 that time ! The authoress, however, does not allude to the preceding 

 fact, as it is not in the " herbals " ; though she quotes several recipes, 

 charms, &c, with which the antecedent MSS. abound. 



The authoress does not confine herself to British Herbals, but 

 discusses those of Italy, Switzerland, and France as well. 



It is to these herbalists that Botany, as a science, was due ; for 



