BOOK REVIEWS. 



167 



work of Bonssingaiilt, Liebig, Lawes, and Gilbert. A general outline 

 of the nutrition of plants is followed by the constituents of the soil, 

 the mode of entry of the food into the plant , and the nature and function 

 of a fertilizer. Fertilizers containing nitrogen are dealt with, giving 

 due prominence to the manufacture of calcium cyanamide and nitrate 

 of lime, with a discussion, in the former case, of its value as a manure. 



On pages 36 and 37, with reference to nitrogen-fixing bacteria, are 

 statements \^'fiich will arouse controversy. Soil inoculation is dis- 

 missed in three and a half pages. We regret that such an important 

 subject as nitrogen fixation and soil inoculation should have been so 

 meagrely treated, and hope that this will be remedied in a future 

 edition. 



The rest of the book, dealing with the function and comparative 

 value of nitrogenous manures, phosphatic manures, potassic fertilizers, 

 farmyard manure, theories of fertilizer action, systems of manuring 

 crops, the valuation and purchase of fertilizers, and the conduct of 

 experiments with fertilizers, we read with profit and pleasure. 



On p. 175 we notice a slight error in the text — ** Similarly with 

 the wheat (Table XXXV. p. 139) " ; p. 139 should be p. 138. Agam, 

 on p. 61 the equation at the bottom of the page is wrong — we think 

 through a misprint. It should read : 



CaCOg + (NHJ.SO, = (NHJ.COg -f CaSO,, and not (NJ,CO,. 



On p. 69 " absorbant " should be "absorbent." These, no doubt, 

 will be put right in future editions. 



The publisher, on the whole, is to be congratulated upon such a 

 technical work having so few errors. The print is easy to read, and the 

 illustrations are quite a feature of the book. 



** Eadio-activity and Geology, an Account of the Influence of Eadio- 

 active Energy on Terrestrial History." By Professor J. Joly, M.A., 

 D.Sc, F.E.S. 8vo., 287 pp. (Constable, London, 1909.) 7s. 6^^. net. 



This book is really an amplification of the author's presidential 

 address to Section 0 at the meeting of the British Association in 

 Dublin. This is a highly technical book, not of use to the horticul- 

 tural student in general, but of great use to the advanced student in 

 geology. In fact, the latter ought to buy it, as it is the most recent, 

 authoritative, and lucid work he could get on the subject. 



" Eecent Advances in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry." By 

 A. W. Stewart, D.Sc. With an -Introduction by Sir Wm. Eamsay, 

 K.C.B., F.E.S. 8vo., 267 pp. (Longmans, London, 1909.) 7s. 6d. 

 net. 



The scope of this work is sufficiently indicated by its title, and its 

 authorship may be accepted as a guarantee of accuracy. The work 

 consists of a series of essays deahng with a few of the more important 

 developments of the subjects, and is a companion volume to the 

 author's " Eecent Advances in Organic Chemistry." 



