136 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



some other means than by the use of a name already appropriated to 

 another flower, while it seems to us somewhat slovenly in a serious 

 book to refer to ' Frau Karl Druschki ' and ' Jonkheer J. L. Mock ' 

 as ' Druschki ' and ' Mock ' respectively. 



A whole chapter is devoted to advice as to ordering Roses from 

 nurserymen, and forms of suggested correspondence for the purpose 

 are given, each order being preceded by a letter of inquiry, asking 

 for answers to certain questions. We cannot help thinking this 

 rather unnecessary, and that most amateurs are quite capable of 

 expressing their wants in a single letter. But no doubt the author 

 is right in advising amateurs to have nothing to do with grafted 

 Roses for outdoor planting. 



In the chapter on pruning we notice with pleasure some useful 

 remarks on how Rose blooms should be cut, a subject well deserving 

 attention, which is not often dealt with in books on Roses. And 

 in the descriptive list of different varieties we find a praiseworthy 

 attempt to estimate the value of each variety with reference to its 

 hardiness, foliage, form, colour, and other qualities. This list contains 

 just under 150 varieties, and the author states that he has removed 

 from it all Roses which in the matter of hardiness came as low in his 

 scale as D, or " poor." It would be impertinent to criticize its details, 

 for the conditions of climate in America are doubtless very different 

 from those which obtain here, but the list contains so large a pro- 

 portion of Roses of recent introduction that one may surmise that in 

 many cases the tests he has applied are unlikely to have been of any 

 extended duration. 



" Wonders of Plant Life." By F. M. and L. T. Duncan. Sm. 

 8vo. 6 vols. 80 + 78 + 79 + 76 + 79 + 78 pp. (Frowde, Hodder 

 & Stoughton, London, 1914.) is. net each. 



This popular account of plant life, contained in six small copiously 

 illustrated volumes, will be read with interest by many. The titles 

 convey a good idea of the contents. " The Story of the Plants," 

 " Plants and their Children," " Land and W 7 ater Plants," " Plant 

 Traps and Decoys," " Some Curious Plants," and " Plant Friends 

 and Foes " are the subjects dealt with. The illustrations are partly 

 coloured, partly black and white, and are from photographs as a rule. 

 Some, especially those of insects, do not show at all clearly the 

 characters of the creatures they are intended to portray. 



" Agriculture, Theoretical and Practical." By J. Wrightson and 

 J. C. Newsham. 8vo. xx -f 628 pp. (Crosby Lockwood, London, 

 1915.) 6s. net. 



The only claim of this book to notice in this Journal is contained 

 in Part V., which deals with horticulture in ninety pages of small print. 

 In it the main functions of plant life are dealt with, and fruit, flower, 

 and vegetable growing, the first fairly fully, the last very cursorily, 



