658 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



means. It is merely a collection of notes for object-lessons " — good, 

 perhaps ; but we have a better method, and the author knows nothing 

 of it. The best that can be said about it is that it gives mostly accu- 

 rate information about some common animals and plants. 



'* Alpine Plants at Home." 2nd series. By Somerville Hastings. 

 16mo., 72 pp. (Gowans & Gray, London, 1910.) 6^^. net. 



A series of excellent reproductions^ of photographs of July-flowering 

 alpine plants, with brief notes on each. The pictures show the form 

 and habit of each plant excellently. 



"Journal of Genetics." Ed. by W. Bateson, M.A., F.E.S., and 

 E. 0. Punnett, M.A. ' 4to., 72 pp. (University Press, Cambridge, 

 1910.) 10s. 



We welcome this Journal devoted to the new^est branch of Biological 

 Science. The experimental study of the laws of heredity by the 

 analytical method is one that has made giant strides in this country 

 since the discovery of Mendel's paper and the publication of an English- 

 translation in these pages (E.H.S. Journal, vol. xxvi. (1901), p. 1). 

 The present part (four parts constitute a volume, the parts to be issued 

 as matter accumulates) contains papers on " White-flowered Varieties 

 of Primula sinensis," "Inheritance of Colour, &c., in the Potato," 

 " Mode of Inheritance of Stature and of Time of Flowering in Peas," 

 " Studies in the Inheritance of Doubleness in Flowers — Petunia," 

 Effects of One-sided Ovariotomy on Sex of Offspring. " 

 We need not refer in detail to these, as abstracts of them are given 

 in another place, but we cannot forbear to remark how further research 

 is showing how complicated the whole question of unit-characters is, 

 and how small and hidden they may be. From a practical point of 

 view it would be almost impossible to breed a sufficient number of, 

 individuals to be able to isolate all the forms, but there remains always 

 the rule which gives the greatest chance of success. " Sow seed of 

 individuals separately and pick out that group, the offspring of one 

 plant, to breed from in which all alike show the desired character." 

 More confusing still is the fact that while in one kind of plant a certain 

 character is dominant, in another an apparently similar character may 

 be recessive. 



Needless to say, the editing of this new Journal and its general 

 " get-up " are admirable. The plates are specially worthy of com- 

 mendation, i 



"Garden Foes." By T. W. Sanders, P.L.S.- Svo., 326 pp. 

 (Colhngridge, London, 1910.) 2s. 6d. net. 



Many gardeners will find this compilation very useful. Most of 

 the common insect pests and fungus diseases of garden plants are 

 dealt with. Here and there, especially in dealing with fungi — e.g. the 

 account of the history of the " club root " fungus (p. 189), the figure 

 of Septoria rosae (p. 246) — one finds technical inaccuracies, and some 

 pests are rather inadequately dealt with ; but as the remedies siig- 



