BOOK REVIEWS. 



591 



as " amusing," where a tomato was grafted on to a rooted potato 

 cutting and the combined plant produced tomatos above and potatos 

 below, suggests possibilities for the amateur with the taste for curious 

 experiment. 



" The Story of My Eock Garden. " By Eeginald A. Malby. With 

 Introduction by W. Irving. 8vo. 129 pp. (Headley, London, 1912.) 

 2s. Qd. net. 



Mr. Malby is an enthusiastic grower of alpine plants, and in this 

 book he describes very fully and lucidly his methods of cultivating 

 successfully such plants in the neighbourhood of London. He certainly 

 seems to have overcome the difficulties experienced in growing high 

 alpines in the smoky atmosphere oi the suburbs. Mr. Malby has 

 used cement blocks in the place O'f stone, and he protects his plants 

 in the winter by sheets of glass over them. This does not, of course, 

 add to the attractions of a rock garden, but as it enables him to grow 

 his plants, even someO'f the rarest and most difficult, quite successfully 

 under adverse conditions, it is a mere matter of taste whether other 

 people care to follow his example ; but one thing is quite certain, and that 

 is that to. grow alpine plants in the murky atmosphere of Londo-n 

 they must have overhead protection in the winter. Mr. Malby gives 

 useful chapters on propagating and seed-sowing, which should prove 

 of great use to the amateur, and his photographs of the plants growing 

 in his garden are extremely good. Altogether, we consider this book 

 on rock gardening a valuable addition to the many books on the same 

 subject, and likely to prove of real use to those growers of alpine plants 

 who do their own work and have a personal acquaintance with the 

 plants they grow. 



" Principles of Australian Agriculture." By W. C. Grasby, F.L.S. 

 8vo. XXV + 285 pp. (Macmillan, London, I912i^) Is. 6d. 



A well-written account of the principles of agriculture as applied 

 to Australian conditions, copiously illustrated. If it could but be read 

 and studied by all concerned it would put many on to a better road 

 towards successful farming. It is written on no false basis of mistaken 

 educative aim, for the author says, and says rightly, " Many a farmer 

 has failed, not from knowing too much, but froan doing too httle. 

 Cultivation of the mind is not a substitute for tillage of the soil." 



" Garden Life Pictorial Guide to Gardening." By the Editor of 

 Garden Life. 8vo. viu + 264 pp. (Cable Publishing Co., London.) 

 Is. net, paper covers. 



A series of diagrams clearly drawn, with careful directions on how 

 to do things in the garden. Propagation is especially well treated of. 



"Heredity." By J. A. S. Watson, B.Sc. sm. 8vo. 94 pp. 

 (Jack, London, 1912.) Qd. net. 



This is a well-written account of our present knowledge of heredity 

 With an exposition of Mendelism. The chapter on acquired characters 



