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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



rather strong on — viz., the judicious use of manure. He says, " The 

 farmer should experiment with different fertihzers, and not depend 

 on a chemical examination of the soil, unless he has reason to think 

 that he has a very special problem. The widespread notion that 

 chemical analyses of soil and of plant will tell what fertilizers to add 

 and what crops to grow is erroneous." The author then goes on to 

 describe how such tests should be made. The cultivation and manage- 

 ment of soils, drainage, pests, and other plagues are fully dealt with, 

 and the remedies advised are all thoroughly reliable. Fortunately, 

 many of these nuisances are absent in. this country, and readers of 

 this book will realize how much more the grower in America has to 

 contend with as compared with growers in this country. Altogether 

 it is a capital work, well written and boldly printed. 



'* Scottish Gardens, being a Eepresentative Selection of different 

 Types, Old and New." By Sir Herbert Maxwell. 8vo. 206 pp. 

 (Arnold, London, 1911.) 7s. 6d. net. 



A delightful book, beautifully printed, admirably illustrated with 

 thirty-two coloured plates, and full of most interesting lore of old 

 Scotch seats, and showing many types of gardening, all beauti- 

 ful, and all the more fascin,ating through the author's quaint humour 

 running more or less through the whole book. It would be difficult 

 to say which was the most attractive of all the lovely gardens so charm- 

 ingly painted by Miss G. W. Wilson in this book, as they are all so 

 different from each other, and what might gain the most favour from 

 one might bo received quite differently by another, and this is as it 

 should be, for it would never do for all of us to have the same tastes 

 and ideas. No doubt the book will appeal more to northern readers 

 than to southerners, especially as there is so much history of families 

 and ancient doings mingled with most valuable information of what 

 trees, plants, and shrubs succeed best at the various places described. 

 Not the least useful are the excellent appendices at the end of the book. 

 Appendix A gives the species of Ehododendron suitable to the climate 

 of the West of Scotland, with the colour and height to which they 

 grow ; and Appendix B gives other shrubs which have proved hardy in 

 Scotland, with their colour of flower and height. We can con- 

 fidently recommend the work to all who possess a large garden in any 

 part of the kingdom. 



''Vine-Growing in England." By H. M. Tod. 8vo. 113 pp. 

 (Chatto & Windus, 1911.) Is. 



A neat and interesting little book, showing that outdoor grapes 

 may be successfully cultivated in the most favoured parts of the king- 

 dom, but with wines so cheap from abro^id, and the distance birds will 

 come to enjoy the feast of ripening grapes, it is doubtful if this crop 

 will be taken up by many on a large scale. The book is well printed, 

 but would be improved by an index. 



