BOOK EEVIEWS. 



311 



statistics, &c., very much will interest the scientific botanist; though 

 he may not accept the author's speculations of what goes on in other 

 worlds in the last chapter. . . 



" Manures for Garden and Farm Crops." By W. Dyke. Ed. by 

 T. W. Sanders, F.L.S. Svo., 116 pp. (Collingridge, London, 1911.) 

 Paper boards, Is. 



This is an excellent little book giving a clear and concise statement 

 of the reasons for manuring and directions for the use of manures for a 

 variety of crops, and the author's experience will ensure that these are 

 a safe guide, so far as a book can give one. 



The only complaint we have to make is in reference to a little want 

 of care in revising parts of it. For example, on p. 73 we find an 

 analysis of magnesium limestone is given which is 10 per cent, out; 

 p. 76, compounds of salt" used apparently for some other term; 

 " dwarf runners " on p. 97; and so on. 



We should like to have seen some reference made to the difficulty 

 experienced in using nitrate of lime. 



"The Story of the Soil." By C. G. Hopkins. 8vo., 350 pp. 

 (Laurie, London, 1912.) 6s. net. 



The preface begins '* Truth is better than fiction," and the author 

 endeavours to^ prove his dictum by giving the story of modern agricul- 

 ture as it is understood in the States in the form of a novel. That is 

 to say, there is a hero and a heroine, conversations and letters, and so 

 on. But the conversations are improving speeches freely interlarded 

 with statistics and even chemical equations, and the letters are the same. 

 So that read as a novel one soon tires, the speeches pall and the 

 " situations " are poor. Bead as a book of instruction one could 

 scarcely wish for anything better, but one sees little use in the small 

 amount of " scenery " introduced. 



" Manures that Pay : How to use them profitably in Garden, Field, 

 and Orchard." Compiled by W. C. Sambrook. 8vo., 82 pp. (Cable 

 Publishing' Co., London.) 6d. net. 



A series of notes on the principal chemical fertilizers and of 

 quantities to use for various crops on different soils is given in plain 

 language. Care must o'f course be exercised in following the sug- 

 gestions made, otherwise much good material may be wasted. We 

 should like to have seen some warning against the continued use of 

 such acid manures as superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia on soils 

 containing but little lime, and on p. 78 the residue left after treating 

 calcium carbide with water is meant instead of " carbide of calcium." 



" Tree Lore." By F. G. Heath. 8vo., 304 pp. (Kelly, London, 

 [1912].) 3s. 6d. net. 



This is a book of short notes arranged alphabetically and apparently 

 taken from the commonplace book of a naturalist. They are more or 



