76 JOURNAL OF THE EOYAL HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



illustrations are good, but we should like to see a note made of the 

 page to which each applies. 



" Nature Study." By Professor Ainsworth Davis. Crown 8vo., 274 pp., 

 over 100 photographic illustrations. (Dent, London, 1908.) 2s. 6d. 



This is a Reader for the higher classes of schools, and attempts " to 

 give in simple, non-technical language a connected sketch of the natural 

 history of plants and animals." The book is divided into two parts, the 

 first dealing with Botany and the second with Zoology. The botanical 

 section is treated on the ecological plan, and the author has succeeded in 

 producing a very readable introduction to plant study. The scholar is 

 encouraged to carry out simple experiments, make careful observations, 

 and draw conclusions as to how the details of form and structure have a 

 definite meaning in relation to mode of life. There are two excellent 

 chapters on the Struggle for Existence among Plants. A general survey 

 is taken of our more common plants, and details of special interest pointed 

 out. The second part of the book deals mainly with the classification of 

 animals, and, although useful in its way, can scarcely be said to follow out 

 the admirable plan of the botanical section. The author attempts to 

 cover practically the whole of the animal kingdom, with the result that 

 whole groups of animals have to be dismissed in a paragraph, and one has 

 but little chance of making those observations which are supposed to be an 

 essential feature of the new method of teaching. 



On p. 70 we are told that " Begonia plants can be grown from 

 a leaf, which develops roots and buds when placed in damp soil." This 

 statement goes scarcely far enough, and might mislead a young reader. 

 Reference might have been made to the method of insertion, and to the 

 incisions usually made across the principal veins. The latter part of 

 paragraph , 425 (p. 151) seems scarcely grammatical, where it says : 

 " The lamprey group (Cyclostomata) is an eel-shaped relative of the fishes, 

 which has not yet developed a lower jaw, and uses its round mouth as a 

 sucker." The illustrations are some of the best that we have seen 

 employed for the embellishment of a school-reader, and we have no 

 hesitation in saying that on the whole this is an excellent help to nature 

 study in the schools. 



" Eversley Gardens and Others." By Rose G. Kingsley. 8vo., 280 pp. 

 (Allen, London, 1907.) 6s. net. 



A well-printed and well-written book dealing with the making of a 

 garden, soils, planting, pruning, spring gardens, bulbs, summer gardens, 

 the rose garden, cut flowers, &c. The illustrations are very good, and 

 a great deal of mcst useful information is given on the best methods of 

 treating plants individually and collectively, showing a keen observing 

 power on the part of the authoress. It is a handsome book, and will be 

 highly appreciated by garden-lovers. 



" Holly, Yew, and Box, with Chapters on other Evergreens." By W. 

 Dallimore. 8vo., 284 pp., 175 illustrations. (Lane, London, 1908.) 

 7s. Gd. net. 



We must congratulate Mr. Dallimore on this carefully written and 

 admirably printed book. Such a practical work could only be compiled 



