540 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



methods of teaching, and combining the heuristic with the didactic 

 methods, the author has produced a text-book, with abundant practical 

 exercises, that should have a large vogue among students of that phase 

 of nature knowledge comprised under the above title. Like many 

 teachers he has found the knowledge of elementary physics and 

 chemistry possessed by the average beginner in botany to be very 

 vague, and he has introduced the necessary simple experimental 

 exercises in these subjects, a knowledge of which is so essential to an 

 accurate understanding of the life of a plant in connection with its 

 environment, with good effect. He has followed out the same idea of 

 the connection between organism and environment to the end in some 

 excellent chapters on plant ecology and on the biology of the soil, 

 dealing finally with " Some Problems in Plant Biology." All the more 

 commonly met with modifications in plant form are dealt with practically, 

 and the physiology of plants is treated in the same way ; and the practical 

 exercises are of such a nature that they may be carried out by any 

 student of average ability who is provided with little more than the 

 apparatus commonly used in the teaching of elementary chemistry. 

 The book may be confidently recommended to the notice of any teacher 

 of botany, who does not object to the trouble involved in this method of 

 teaching, as a class-book ; to the isolated student the book will not be 

 quite so useful, as some of the apparatus required is only to be found 

 in a well-equipped laboratory ; but even he will be greatly benefited by 

 using it honestly. Very few misprints are to be found, the first part 

 of the book is well illustrated, a good index is given, and four useful 

 appendices add considerably to the value of the book. 



" The Flowers and their Story." By Hilderic Friend. 8vo., 300 pp. 

 (Robert Culley, London.) 5s. net. 



A book written for children with the idea of interesting them in 

 nature, the illustrations being mainly drawn from native plants, but 

 including some garden plants, and some not likely to be met with by 

 the majority of children. It is couched somewhat in the form of a 

 monologue, and introduces many of the more striking facts of plant life 

 under such "popular" titles as "Dame Nature's Tuck-shop" (fleshy 

 fruits) ; "Acrobats and Steeple Jacks " (climbing plants) ; "Fairy Gold " 

 (pollen), and so on. The information it is sought to impart is accurate, 

 though some of the verbal illustrations are a little difficult to follow, and 

 it is doubtful whether an attempt to explain the structure of a daisy head 

 in the first chapter will be understood by any who have not examined 

 many flowers before. The 154 illustrations from photographs on plate 

 paper are a feature of the book, and are, for the most part, pleasing, and 

 there are in addition eight coloured plates. The printing is well done, 

 on good paper, and the book is neatly bound. As a gift book for children 

 it should find a hearty welcome. 



" Insect Life." By F. V. Theobald, M. A. 8vo., 235 pp. (Methuen & 

 Co., London.) 2s. Gd. 



The first edition of this little work was published in 189G, and now a 

 revised edition has appeared. A short and easily understood account of 



