.BOOKS RECEIVED. 



677 



" Types of British Plants." By C. S. Colman. (Sands, London.) 6s. 



This is an attempt to simplify the beginning of the study of the physio- 

 logy of plants, and we think it is rather well carried out ; yet we fear 

 it may be a little too difficult for quite beginners, and not sufficiently 

 advanced for more mature scholars ; but for the small class in between it 

 will be very welcome. The woodcuts are good, clear, and helpful, but 

 the " 16 full-page plates " — well, the kindest thing that can be said is, what 

 a pity the money spent on them was not devoted to more woodcuts. 



" Villa Gardens." By W. S. Rogers. (Grant Richards, London.) 

 2s. 6d. 



We opened this little book reluctantly, having a somewhat pronounced 

 dislike to the word "villa," but we very quickly forgot our dislike of the 

 name in our real interest in the book. It contains an immense amount 

 of excellent advice for the owner of only a tiny plot of ground behind 

 his little suburban house, advice which is sorely needed — how to make 

 the best of, and how to really enjoy, even only a few square yards of 

 garden. It is concerned chiefly with how to lay out the plot to the greatest 

 advantage, and some typical examples, with detailed plans, are excellent ; 

 but the plants to grow are by no means forgotten, and we are glad to note 

 that the author is not too ambitious — unless it be in the way of sundials, 

 which, much as we admire them and their associations, we should not care 

 to see in quite every little garden. 



" On the Amazon and Rio Negro." By Dr. A. R. Wallace. (Ward, 

 Lock, London.) 2s. 



The issue of so cheap an edition of Dr. Wallace's intensely interesting 

 book is a distinct gain. The whole story of his travels and adventures is 

 very simply and naturally told, and though of course a great part is con- 

 cerned with the fauna of the countries he explored, still there is ample 

 concerning the flora also to claim the attention of plant-lovers, to say 

 nothing of the exceeding interest from a scientific point of view of the 

 whole narrative. 



" Foresters' Diary, 1903." By A. D. Webster. (Rider, Aldersgate 

 Street, London.) 2s. 6d. 



Of diaries and pocket-books suited to special purposes, we know of 

 none that fulfils its object more thoroughly than this. In the first place 

 it is very portable, and, though bound in red morocco, very light. It con- 

 tains a regular diary for every day in the year, and in addition to all the 

 usual information of pocket-books it gives a really detailed scheme of work 

 in woods and forests for every month in the year, and over and above all 

 this, notes on such general matters as " Woodland Roads," " Profit and 

 Loss on Oak Barking," " Comparative Value of Timbers," lists of trees and 

 shrubs suited for seaside, for towns, for peat soils, for chalk, for gravel, 

 sand, ironstone, &c, " Injurious Insects " and how to deal with them. 

 In fact, it is exactly the multum in parvo which any forester would be 

 glad to have always in his pocket. 



