668 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



tion for such a small price as this, and written withal in so pleasant a 

 fashion. The low price of the book will bring it within reach of 

 everyone, and we heartily commend it to those who have not read it. 



Making Horticulture Pay." Compiled and edited by M. G. Kains. 

 8vo., 276 pp. (Orange Judd Company, New York; Kegan Paul, Lon- 

 don, 1909.) 7s. 6cZ. 



A book specially written for American readers, and for them full 

 of practical advice ; but the greater portion of the matter is not of much 

 value in this country. 



" Eock and Alpine Gardening." By H. Hemsley. 93 pp. Second 

 Edition. (Simpkin, Marshall, London, 1910.) Is. net. 



We have already reviewed the first edition of this book (vol. xxxiii. 

 p. 548). In the second edition before us is added the Water-Garden, 

 which is equally as well treated as the other portions of the book. 



"Dry Farming: its Principles and Practice." By William Mac- 

 donald. 8vo., 290 pp. (T. Werner Laurie, London, 1909.) 6s. net. 



Although this book was written chiefly for American readers, it 

 contains so much extremely valuable matter relating to the cultivation 

 and management of land applicable to almost every country, wet or 

 dry, that we have no hesitation in recommending it. For instance, what 

 splendid advice for cultivation of all kinds of land is the following, on 

 page 56 : " The most common and fatal error in Western farming is the 

 careless preparation of the ground. Poor, shallow ploughing and the 

 lack of after -cultivation of the soil are the two factors to which crop 

 failure is mainly due. It is impossible for any plant to withstand a severe 

 drought when its roots lie in hard, dry soil. But put the same seed in 

 deep, mellow earth, with a moisture-saving mantle, and it remains 

 green after weeks of rainless weather." There is no question that a 

 mantle of loose surface soil is one of the best possible preventives of 

 evaporation, on both heavy and light land, as proved by the excellent 

 crops produced where this system is practised. Again, the author 

 points out the necessity of deep cultivation and the breaking up of the 

 hard pan caused by ploughing to one depth annually. This allows 

 the capillary moisture to ascend from below and permits the roots not 

 only to penetrate deeper, but to get the advantage of the ascending 

 moisture. Many data are given, obtained from farmers and experi- 

 ment-station workers, proving the writer's statements, and although 

 some of the matter is not of much value to farmers and gardeners in 

 Britain, there is very much that should be read and taken to heart here 

 in other parts of the book. There is no index, the work being in descrip- 

 tive chapters. 



" Town Planting, and the Trees, Shrubs, and Herbaceous 

 Plants that are best adapted for Eesisting Smoke. " By A. D. Webster. 

 8vo., 211 pp. (Eoutledge, London, 1910.) 3s. 6d. net. 



Mr. Webster is eminently qualified to write on this important 

 subject; his great experience in and around London has given him such 



