BOOK REVIEWS. 



405 



This little work contains twenty-four chapters : the first four deal with 

 the broad facts that no two plants or parts are alike. Hence the proof of 

 variability. Then follows the struggle for life, which is ubiquitous, and 

 the survival of the fit, and the results of adaptation on Plant Societies, 

 being an outline of Ecology. We strongly approve of Mr. Bailey's 

 introducing this subject so early. 



The chapters following deal with the plant organs. Starting with 

 seeds and germination, the student has to study roots, stems, leaves, 

 buds, climbing plants, the flower and its parts, inflorescences, fruits, 

 and dispersal of seeds, and in the last two chapters Cryptogams. 



Each chapter is an excellent epitome, giving the most important and 

 leading characteristics of the organs dealt with. The plants are, of course, 

 often American, but the English pupil can easily obtain similar types. 

 We heartily recommend this useful book, which has also upwards of 300 

 clear illustrations. 



" The Botany of Worcestershire." By J. Amphlett and C. Rea, B.C.L., 

 M.A. The Mosses and Hepatics, by J. E. Bagnall. 8vo., 654 pp. 

 (Cornish, Birmingham, 1909.) 25s. net. 



Worcestershire is divided into four districts, the Avon on the East, 

 the Malvern on the West, the Lickey on the North-East, and the Severn 

 from the North to South between the first two and the third. 



The plan the authors have followed is to give the name of the species 

 in Clarendon type ; then follow details under the headings — Native, First 

 Record, and the four Districts for Distribution. Each species concludes 

 with an interesting account of the plants, where they are found, local 

 names, history, uses and other interesting matters as occasion requires. 

 No botanical descriptions are given. As the book has 654 pages, 

 including the index, to do this would have increased the dimensions too 

 greatly. The authors therefore wisely refer the student to Floras. 



We do not see the advantage of calling the yellow water lily, Nymphaea, 

 and the white one, Castalia ; since both Bentham and Hooker keep to 

 the well-known and very familiar Niiphar and Nymphaea, respectively. 

 Nor why Kentranthus should have K and not C, because this is the 

 familiar way of spelling it, and this letter is retained by the authors 

 themselves in Calamintha and other Greek words. 



It seems doubtful whether such obviously accidental escapes as 

 snowberry and the Tea plant (Lycium), &c, need be included ; for they 

 have not become generally diffused wild flowers as, say, Erigeron cana- 

 dense or Linaria Cymbalaria, &c. 



A few details might be added thus : Baxter in his " Genera of British 

 Plants " tells us that the London Rocket sprang up abundantly, after 

 rubbish had been burnt, in the Oxford Botanic Gardens, in 1835, just 

 as it did after The Fire of London. 



The woad mentioned as cultivated is not now grown or used in 

 Lincolnshire, the mills having closed about ten years ago. 



The authors mention several maritime plants around Droitwich, e.g. 

 Spergularia salina, Polygonum Baii, Plantago maritima (mentioned, 

 but not at Droitwich), Hordeum marinum, Agropyrum junceum, &c. 

 Now Droitwich is eighty miles from the sea, and Bad Nauheim 200, 



