BOOK EEVIEWS. 



411 



" British Woods and their Owners." By John Simpson. 8vo., 

 116 pp. (Pawson & Brailsford, Sheffield, 1909.) 12s. 6d. net. 



Though there is little that can be said to be new in this book, 

 yet a perusal of the several chapters will be interesting, particularly 

 that in which a comparison of British and German woods is made, and 

 their relative value in a purely economic sense plainly pointed out. We 

 are rather doubtful about the Douglas fir being the coming timber tree, 

 for although of rapid growth, the timber, from numerous experiments 

 that have been made, has been found comparatively short lived, while 

 the tree suffers much from wind — indeed, is only suited for valleys and 

 other partially sheltered situations. That it may and does succeed at 

 high altitudes we are quite aware, but its miserable appearance and 

 whip-handle-like leading shoot only too clearly point out that it is ill- 

 adapted for such situations. There is a great deal of truth in what the 

 author points out as to the unreliability of the agricultural returns as to 

 the extent of the woods and plantations in the country, and we are not 

 aware that this has been brought to the notice of the public in any 

 previous work of this kind. We are glad that the Japanese larch is so 

 well spoken of, and in a conversation last week with Mr. Michie, the 

 intelligent woods manager to the Duke of Portland, at Welbeck, Mr. 

 Simpson's experience of this larch was quite borne out. We are 

 curious to hear more about the covert " willow " (page 68), which the 

 author describes as a natural seedling variety, and which is so valuable 

 for covert purposes. In all probability it will turn out to be a hybrid form. 

 There are some interesting figures given in Chapter V., but we cannot agree 

 that the Corsican pine is inferior to the Douglas fir, nor that it cannot 

 compete with the larch ; while the price recorded for seedling sycamores 

 only 4 in. and upwards in the middle, at 8d. per foot standing seems 

 high. We rarely measure timber under 6 in. diameter at the small end. 

 The book is well worth perusal for its general information, and is well 

 printed and illustrated. 



" Scientific Ideas of To-day : A Popular Account of the Nature of 

 Matter, Electricity, Light, Heat, &c, in non-Technical Language." By 

 Charles E. Gibson. 8vo. 314 pp. (Seeley, London, 1909.) 5s. net. 



This is one of Messrs. Seeley's "Romance Series." The author warns 

 readers not to " select a chapter, which appears interesting from its title 

 and read that chapter first ; " but to begin at Chapter I., as the author 

 presumes that the preceding chapter has been read. 



This advice is necessary when one notes the following contents : What 

 things are made of. The stuff that atoms are made of. The construction 

 of the atom. What is electricity? What is aether? What is mag- 

 netism ? More about electrons in motion. What is energy ? Waves in 

 the aether. What is light ? &c. 



The illustrations are very clear and striking. Though the explanations 

 of the phenomena are couched in popular terms, yet we can recommend 

 them as being scientifically correct. The author deserves great praise for 

 his exceedingly clever experiments and his simple and illuminating 

 discourse upon them. 



