322 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the same plants in use or similar methods of distribution adopted, and 

 what is rightly objected to in one situation is valuable in another, 

 owing mainly to differences in soil and situation. Bracken, which is con- 

 demned wholesale by the author, is in some instances, when convenient 

 to pasture land, valuable covert. Our English coppice woods, too, are 

 invaluable game coverts, while thickly grown birches and thorns carpeted 

 with branches and rough-growing grasses are hard to beat — but it should 

 be remembered that open clearances, in dense and far-reaching masses of 

 covert, are desirable. Contrary to the author's opinion we have always 

 found that in order to thicken the exposed side of a plantation early and 

 careful thinning is necessary — far preferable to the killing-out process by 

 the survival of the fittest as sometimes practised. 



To the list of shelter-giving trees the evergreen oak might well be 

 added, while the ribes, sea buckthorn, dogwood, viburnum, and shrubby 

 thorns are all useful for particular situations. 



The book is nicely got up and printed, and the numerous well- 

 executed illustrations are valuable, and should commend the work to all 

 those who are interested in game and game coverts. 



" Introduction to Plant Ecology." By Prof. G. Henslow. 8vo., 130 pp. 

 (Edward Stanford, London.) 2s. 



This little book is intended to introduce to teachers and students of 

 botany a point of view which to many may be new. Ecology has been 

 defined as "the study of plants in their natural home," and the author 

 rightly insists that the study of plant-form, of internal structure, and of 

 the functions of the various organs must be pursued before a thorough 

 grasp of the meaning of plant distribution can be obtained. He con- 

 siders, however, that all botanical teaching should lead up to an accurate 

 appreciation of the influence of external conditions in moulding the form 

 of the plant, and this may be attained by always keeping in view through- 

 out all branches of botany the ecological aspect. The author believes 

 that the final outcome of ecology is evolution, and that the study of 

 plants from an ecological point of view will lead to the conclusion that, 

 " the origin of specific characters ... is nothing more nor less than the 

 result of response and adaptation to the direct action of the conditions 

 of life." Though all teachers will not be able to follow him so far, few 

 will consider that the ecological point of view of studying botany is not 

 the right one, and this' little book will serve to give an idea of the very 

 wide field open for research, and the greatly enhanced value of botany as 

 an educational subject when the ecological aspect of botany is kept in 

 sight. A copious index is given, the print is large and clear, and the 

 text very free from misprints. 



" Text-book of Plant-diseases." By G. Massee. Third edition. 

 8vo., 472 pp. (Duckworth, London.) 6s. net. 



Plant diseases caused by the attacks of fungi appear to become more 

 and more common every year, possibly on account of the prevalent 

 methods of massing together large numbers of the same kind of plant. 

 Any book that brings together accounts of these parasitic fungi and 

 describes in a trustworthy manner the diseases they produce should be 



