86 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The author writes as a scientist and as a teacher, and he is both these 

 of the first water, but he falls into one very serious error. He writes : 

 " There is every probability that the individual farmer will be as often 

 misled as guided by the results of his own experiments. The design and 

 conduct of field experiments must be left to the expert." He will find 

 few to agree with him. 



" The Standard Cyclopedia of Modern Agriculture and Eural 

 Economy." By many Authors ; edited by Professor R. Patrick Wright. 

 8vo., vols I. and II. each 240 pp. and many plates and figures. (The 

 Gresham Publishing Company, London, 1908.) 8s. net each vol. 



This work, which is to be completed in 12 vols., aims at being an 

 exhaustive treatise on all that appertains to Agriculture, including 

 Horticulture. The contributors are for the most part the best recognized 

 authorities on the subjects dealt with, It would be a bold critic who could 

 venture to question the soundness of the majority of the articles, although 

 before the publication of the entire work is completed we doubt not some 

 of the statements will have been proved to be exploded errors. 



Vol. I. contains a very valuable anatomical model of the cow. 



The subjects dealt with are so diverse that without an index it is 

 difficult to find what one requires. Even then the matter is much broken 

 up, probably necessarily so for alphabetical arrangement. The value of 

 the work will very greatly depend upon the index. / 



"Gardens of England." Painted by Beatrice Parsons, and described 

 by E. T. Cook. 8vo., 199 pp. (Black, London, 1908.) 7s. 6d. 



A charmingly written and beautifully printed and illustrated book 

 which we think would be of more value if an index were appended. 

 About twenty garden scenes are well illustrated in colours, and as in 

 many places similar effects could easily be produced, this work will 

 commend itself to owners of large gardens who may be contemplating 

 alterations or improvements, or making new gardens. The descriptive 

 matter relating to the illustrations contains a mass of information on 

 how and when to plant the various plants figured, and many excellent 

 suggestions are given on desirable plants to grow. 



"English Houses and Gardens in the seventeenth and eighteenth 

 centuries." Reproduced from contemporory engravings by Kip, Badeslade, 

 Harris, and others. Obi. 4to., 36 pp. 61 plates. (Batsford, London, 1908.) 

 15s. net. 



This is not only a most interesting book, but its quaint plates are very 

 instructive in showing the strictly formal style of gardening in vogue 

 during the period mentioned in the title. There are sixty-one plates 

 showing many well-known noblemen's and gentlemen's seats : few if any 

 of them would be recognized at the present day. A more natural and 

 beautiful type of gardening has replaced the original stiff plans, but in 

 some of the places mentioned and illustrated that we have visited, there 

 are still the magnificent avenues planted in those days, giving an 

 appearance which excites the envy and admiration of all who do not 

 possess such a noble feature on their own estates. Almost all the build- 



