2 



THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 



scientific point of view, but withal it is clear that it is 

 the work of one who could do so if needed, and who 

 so writes that scientific men can accept his statements. 



In this edition the author has introduced some illus- 

 trations, "and thoroughly and carefully revised the text, 

 which has received many additions under the heads 

 of both cultural treatment and descriptions of recently 

 introduced orchids •" and as Mr. Williams has long 

 been known as one of our most successful cultivators 

 and exhibitors of orchids, it cannot but be that all that 

 is necessary for understanding them and their growth 

 is here given. It is no slight thing to be able to say 

 that his work has not only been the means of assisting 

 amateurs in their cultivation, but also of inducing 

 many other plant-lovers to attempt their cultivation. 

 In fact, his work has now come to be regarded as the 

 standard work on orchid culture. 



The clear good sense with which Mr. Williams writes is 

 manifest all through his work. Take, for example, 

 where he speaks about imitating the natural condition 

 in which orchids are found growing, but which, he 

 says, may after all be fallacious ; for if we are to 

 imitate nature, it must be where nature is in her best 

 garb, while many of those who see orchids growing in 

 their natural habitats see them as we may see many of 

 our native plants growing in unsuitable localities, and 

 consequently stunted and ill-favoured ; while it can be 

 hardly questioned that in our own orchid houses may 

 be seen finer specimens than travellers have ever met 

 with in their native habitats. But it is needless to 

 dwell further on the merits of the book. All who care 

 to grow orchids or to understand their culture will do 

 well to possess themselves of a book which so thoroughly 

 meets their wants. 



Domestic Botany. , An Exposition of the Structure and 

 Classification of Plants, and of their Uses for Food, 

 Clothing, Medicine, and Manufacturing Purposes. 

 By John Smith, A.L.S., Ex-Curator of the Royal 

 Botanic Gardens, Kew. Beeve and Co. 



A book for those who wish to know whence comes the 

 food they eat, the medicine they take, the cloth they 

 wear, the stuffs that dye them, and numbers of sub- 

 stances used in arts and manufactures. The intro- 

 ductory portion of the book is a little old-fashioned, as 

 might be expected from one who acquired his botanical 

 knowledge from the past generation rather than the 

 present, but the second and principal portion is brim 

 full of just such information as inquiring persons desire 

 to find but do not know where to look for. Not only 

 does it tell us the vegetable substances used in civilized 

 countries, but informs us also Avhat constitute the food, 

 medicine, clothing, &c. of the native inhabitants of the 

 countries where they grow. The work is illustrated 



with sixteen coloured plates from the pencil of Mr. 

 Fitch, which exhibit many of the most remarkable 

 forms of vegetable growth in foreign lands. 



The Young Collector's Handy Booh of Botany. By the 

 Rev. H. P. Donster, M.A. Reeve and Co. 



As its name implies, a " handy book," and a very pretty 

 and useful one too, for those bringing home their first 

 gathering of Wild Flowers, Grasses, Ferns, Mosses, 

 Funguses or Seaweeds, giving them just such informa- 

 tion as they at once need in examining, drying, 

 arranging and preserving their specimens, with a peep 

 into the Science of Botany, which will not make them 

 shut up the book as dry, but rather create an appetite 

 for more. There is a chapter on preparing skeleton 

 leaves, and at the end some excellent woodcuts with 

 dissections of the plants to assist the Young Collector 

 in naming his specimens. 



CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Spring Catalogue of Vegetable, Agricultural, and 

 Flower Seeds, Garden Requisites, &c. Dick Radclyffe and 

 Co., F.R.H.S., 129, High Holborn, W.C.; Seed Grounds, 

 Erfurt, Prussia. — An excellent and well-arranged cata- 

 logue, with a full account and illustrations of the 

 various horticultural contrivances introduced of late 

 years, amongst which we notice Dr. Graf's indelible 

 ink for all kinds of labels. 



Tree and Shrub List. Richard Smith, Nurseryman, 

 Seedsman and Florist, Worcester. — A name too well 

 known to need any recommendation. Suffice it to say, 

 the list is ample, the price moderate, and, as we can 

 testify from personal knowledge, the stock of the very 

 best description. 



Descriptive Catalogue of Flower, Vegetable, and Agri- 

 cultural Seeds, 1872. B. S. Williams, Victoria and Para- 

 dise Nursery, Upper Holloway, London. — A very full 

 and complete list, containing some new and choice 

 seeds, amongst which is especially to be noted the new 

 Pea, Emperor of the Moroccos. 



Sutton's Amateur Guide and Spring Catalogue for 

 1872. Sutton and Sons, Reading. — Prepared with 

 the usual taste displayed by this well-known firm, it 

 contains, as usual, a number of novelties both in vege- 

 table and flower seeds. 



James Veitch and Son's Catalogue of Garden and 

 Flower Seeds, Royal Exotic Nursery, King's Road, 

 Chelsea, SW. — Contains, as might be expected, an 

 interesting and complete account of vegetable and 

 flower seeds. Amongst the novelties in the latter de- 

 partment are Amaranthus salicifolius and Primula verti- 



