BOOK REVIEWS. 



295 



" Gardening in the Tropics," being a sixth edition of " Gardening 

 in Iiidia, " adapted for all tropical or semi-tropical regions. By 

 G. Marshall Woodrow, late Professor of Botany, College of Science, 

 Poona. 8vo., xvi + 634 pp., with 84 illustrations. (Gardner, 

 Paisley, 1910.) 10s. 6d. net. 



This handbook on gardening is chiefly remarkable for the wide 

 scope of the subject which the author has attempted to cover. Not 

 only has he dealt with such details as soils, climates, manures, 

 methods of cultivation and propagation of plants, garden implements, 

 insect pests, landscape gardening, exhibitions, plant-breeding, 

 tropical garden-plants, rubber-yielding species, and so forth, but it is 

 claimed that a careful study of the contents will enable readers to 

 apply the information not only to a limited area, but throughout the 

 extensive region in which the south-west and north-east monsoons 

 prevail — that is, from^ Siam, through Burma, Ceylon, India, Central 

 Africa, Abyssinia, Central America, and the West Indian Islands, and 

 also the warm parts of South America. 



The book appears to consist of a collection of loose notes that 

 require re-shuffling in order to make a logical and connected whole. 

 Cultivators in the tropics, however, are probably not so well catered 

 for in the matter of gardening literature as we are in this country, 

 and, provided they get the information they require, are doubtless less 

 critical as to the manner in which it is presented to them. 



The author, having the advantage of a practical knowledge of the 

 subject of which the book treats, has clearly attempted to fulfil a 

 want, and the fact that this is the sixth edition of the book is evi- 

 dence of the fact that his labours are appreciated. 



"The Eubber Planter's Note Book." By Frank Braham, 

 F.K.G.S. Svo., viii + 108 pp., with diagrams and illustrations. 

 (Crosby Lockwood, London, 1911.) 2s. 6d. net. 



The scope of this little book is best indicated by the sub-title: — 

 " A handy book of reference on Para rubber planting, with hints on 

 the maintenance of health in the tropics, and other general information 

 of utility to the rubber planter, specially designed for use in the field, 

 compiled from the most reliable and modern sources." 



So much is known and has been written of recent years on the 

 subject of rubber cultivation and production, that to give even a brief 

 summary of the available information would occupy a fair-sized 

 volume. It is obvious, therefore, that the book before us, consisting 

 of some 100 pages of matter, and of a size suitable for the pocket, 

 can only be considered as an introduction to more comprehensive 

 works on the subject. Indeed, the author states in his preface that 

 he has compiled the book for " the ordinary man and thousands 

 of untrained assistants" who are in ''absolute ignorance" of the 

 subject, and that it is intended for the plantation assistant as a work 

 of "reference and guidance in the field." So far as it goes the 



