Books and Current Literature. 



21 



that some of the varieties that fail are directly and injuriously 

 affected by too intense insolation? 



A most important work has been accomplished by Prof. 

 J. J. Thornber in bringing together the facts that have been es- 

 tablished thus far regarding the behavior of some hundreds of 

 plants whose fitness for cultivation in the desert is of economical 

 or aesthetic interest. Some of these appear in the present num- 

 ber of the Plant World, but the greater part still await publi- 

 cation. The investigator who addresses himself to the task of 

 ascertaining what actually determines the fitness or unfitness 

 of plants for life in the desert will find no end of promising ma- 

 terial readv to his hand. 



BOOKS AND CURRENT LITERATURE. 



Irrigation Farming by Lucius M. Wilcox is the title of a 

 recent interesting book dealing particularly with western agri- 

 culture. It contains 494 pages and includes numerous diagrams 

 and illustrations, being a revised and enlarged edition. The 

 author has endeavored to treat in a general way the entire sub- 

 ject of irrigation, twenty-four chapters being devoted to as many 

 different topics, of which the following are the more prominent: 

 effects of irrigation upon different types of soils; treatment of 

 alkali in land; canal construction; pipes and flumes; reservoirs 

 and ponds in irrigation; methods of applying water to the field, 

 orchard, vineyard and garden; irrigation in humid climates and 

 winter irrigation; all about alfalfa; windmills, engines and pumps 

 for irrigation, etc. 



The advantages of irrigation over dependance upon rainfall 

 for crop growth are noted and cannot fail to appeal to the agri- 

 culturist at large; one must feel that when irrigation is practiced 

 more in the States where there is ordinarily sufficient precipita- 

 tion for crop growth, better results will follow, especially in 

 intensive farming. It is to be regretted that the author has 

 sacrificed definiteness and at times accuracy in his often general- 

 ized statements; he has repeatedly introduced details in discus- 

 sions which are intended to be of a general nature, with the resuls 

 that statements are often misleading. Accordingly, if one it 

 not already well versed in the problems of irrigation in his par- 



