70 



president, touched upon this subject in the following pertinent 

 words: "In this matter of presentation, the natural sciences seem 

 to be at a peculiar disadvantage. In belles-lettres a work of crude 

 literary form is damned. Authors, if they would be read, must 

 cultivate a good style. But in the natural sciences, if a work only 

 presents some new and valuable facts, it must, in spite of the 

 crudest form, be purchased, read, reviewed, quoted, and the 

 author is often flattered by the seeming success of a paper which 

 may have been little better than an imposition upon his colleagues. 

 Some improvement may undoubtedly be accomplished if the 

 scientific public, especially editors and reviewers, can be stirred to 

 a more critical attitude toward work defective in form. But im- 

 portant advance can only emanate from the authors themselves. 

 They should take a greater pride in the style of their publications, 

 should realize that lucidity of expression goes far to carry con- 

 viction, while obscurity is positive injustice to their co-workers." 



BOOKS AND WRITERS. 



— The Macmillan Company will soon issue "Old-Time Gar- 

 dens," by Alice M. Earle. 



— "Woodland and Meadow," by W. I. L. Adams, is to be pub- 

 lished by the Baker & Taylor Company, New York. 



— A book on "Forest Trees and Forest Scenery," by G. Fred 

 Schwarz, has just been issued by the Grafton Press, of New York. 



— Beginning with the January number, The Bryologist will 

 change from a quarterly to a bi-monthly. The subscription price 

 remains unchanged. 



— A new book on Forest Trees, by Julia Rogers, of Cornell 

 University, is announced for publication about January ist. It 

 will be illustrated by many drawings besides numerous photo- 

 gravures of specimen trees. 



— At last we have a book upon Southern wildflowers that the 

 ordinary flower-lover can understand, and one that will enable 



