BOOK EEVIEWS. 



243 



As an elementary book it stands far above anything we have ever read. 

 The authors and the publishers are to be congratulated. 



" Trees : a Handbook of Forest Botany for the Woodland and the 

 Laboratory." By the late H. Marshall Ward, Sc.D., F.K.S. Edited by 

 Professor Percy Groom, D.Sc. 8vo., 308 pp. (University Press, Cam- 

 bridge, 1909.) 4s. 6d. net. 



This extremely interesting book, which is profusely illustrated, is of 

 particular value in that the strictly botanical portions are written in such 

 a popular manner as to be readily understood. The work is crammed 

 full of information about the forms and habits of our commonly cultivated 

 trees and shrubs, with an appendix on seedlings, and is certainly the best 

 book between the popular and scientific work that it has been my pleasure 

 to peruse. Extremely interesting are the notes on tendrils, the functions 

 of bark, and branching, while the short accounts of our trees and shrubs 

 are remarkably accurate and to the point. 



That the Austrian pine is not always readily distinguished from the 

 Scotch pine, as stated in the work, is surely an error, for the shaggy 

 habit of the one compares markedly with the refined appearance of the 

 other. The bitter-sweet {Solarium Dulcamara) does not always die far 

 back in the winter, and often far exceeds the height of 3-6 feet given in 

 the description. But these are minor mistakes, and we strongly advise 

 every lover of our trees and shrubs to procure a copy. 



"The American Apple Orchard." by F. A. Waugh. 8vo., 215 pp. 

 (Kegan Paul, London, 1908.) 5s. 



Although this book was written for America we can strongly commend 

 it to British readers, and especially to those about to embark on fruit 

 culture on commercial lines. We have seldom seen a more instructive 

 and practical work. Soil and situation make vast differences, and 

 although the black loam on the eastern slopes of the Alleghany Mountains 

 is famed for its excellent orchards, there are many black soils in Britain 

 quite unsuited for apples ; but all other soils mentioned by the author are 

 found in abundance in this country, and will grow apples well. Mr. 

 Waugh deals in a very clear manner with the advantages and otherwise 

 of wind breaks for fruit plantations, and the advice on starting an 

 orchard is excellent. Supplemented by a useful table of the quantity of 

 trees required for an acre at various distances, orchard cultivation, and 

 the methods to be employed, fill two large chapters, and contain much 

 information well worth the study of all fruit growers. On the vexed 

 question of pruning some capital instruction is given, and the objects of 

 pruning are well stated. The chapter on the feeding of the trees ought 

 to be carefully read. The same applies to the chapters on insect pests, 

 diseases, spraying and solutions for spraying, though fortunately we have 

 not to contend with all the pests of American orchards. Much of the 

 information on gathering and packing the fruit is not applicable to this 

 country, still a good deal may be learnt in the chapter devoted to this 

 important matter, and we would particularly commend to fruit growers 

 the following sterling advice : 



" Select a few varieties only ; choose standard market sorts ; choose 



