404 JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



disappointed, for it is conceived in the true educational spirit and written 

 by a master hand with a lucidity difficult to equal and impossible to 

 surpass. The illustrations are drawn entirely from North America, but 

 the principles dealt with are the same the world through, and the book 

 gives an excellent idea of the physical geography of the North American 

 continent. A chapter unique in books of this kind deals in a brief but 

 interesting way with the influence of physiography on plant and animal 

 life — an aspect which includes much of what we now call ecology. 



The illustrations, which are about equal in number to the pages, form 

 a feature of great importance in the book, and are as lucid and educational 

 as the text itself. 



It is a book we can heartily recommend to any desiring some know- 

 ledge of the earth and climate and so on, and especially to teachers. 



" The Nature Book." By various authors. 4to. (Cassell, London, 

 1909.) Parts 25 to 36, Id. each, net. 



This book is now completed, and the remarks made with regard to 

 the first two volumes in our last issue are well merited by the last. 

 Almost all branches of familiar nature are dealt with in a popular way 

 and admirably illustrated by half-tone and colour prints. 



" Catalogue and Field-Book of British Basidiomycetes." By Dr. 

 M. C. Cooke, M.A., V.M.H. iO^' x'4". (Wheldon, London, 1909.) 

 2s. Qcl. net. 



The venerable author of this Catalogue has done perhaps more to 

 popularize the study of the higher fungi than anyone else since the time 

 of Bev. M. J. Berkeley, and now students have reason to thank him for 

 another extremely useful addition to the already long list of works upon 

 these plants which have come from his pen. Annual " Fungus Forays " 

 in various parts of the country and the patient investigations of a 

 number of observers in many places have added to our knowledge of the 

 distribution of these organisms through our islands, and the list of 

 British species yearly grows longer. Dr. Cooke has collected all the 

 records (of about 2,800 forms, according to a rough count) up to the 

 end of 1908, and published the list, arranged as in Saccardo's " Sylloge," 

 in a form which can be carried easily in the pocket, printed on one side of 

 the paper only, thus leaving ample space for notes and additions. It 

 will prove a most useful companion in the field on " Fungus Forays " 

 and a useful record of progress in our knowledge of fungus distribution. 

 No descriptions are given, of course, but edible species are distinguished 

 from those known to be poisonous, and a few other notes add to the 

 value of the list. 



"Beginner's Botany." By L. H. Bailey. 8vo., 208 pp. (Macmillan, 

 London, 1909.) 3s. Qd. 



Those who are familiar with Professor Bailey's "Plant-Breeding" 

 will be prepared to find an excellent work in the "Beginner's Botany." 

 Like all good teachers, the author insists upon close observations of 

 plants themselves. " Mere book-work or memory-stuffing is useless, and 

 it may dwarf or divert the sympathies of active young minds." 



