128 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of a stem are regarded by him as the " flanges," but the connecting 

 piece, called the " web," is wanting (fig. 55, p. 166). To resist a 

 lateral strain, as by wind, the opposite flanges should be united by 

 strong webs. As an example, a train runs on the upper flange of 

 the rail girder ; but if the vertical iron web supporting it were weak 

 it would be crushed. This is exactly what takes place in a hurricane 

 with slender stems ; the force is at right angles to the vascular cord, 

 and crushes them inwards. When all the cords are united laterally, 

 a hollow cylinder is secured; this constitutes a " continuous arch," 

 every point being a top. Nature then unites the whole by diaphragms. 

 Kerner's theory was submitted to an engineer, and he thoroughly 

 disapproved of it. The web (corresponding to the pith) of an iron 

 cylinder is always filled with solid concrete. It may be mentioned 

 that in all dicotyledons, except those with opposite leaves, no two 

 of the principal vascular bundles can be on the same diameter. 



" Flowers." By J. Foord. 8vo., 68 pp. (Batsford, London, 

 [1914].) 2s. net. 



A new series of books under the title " Fellowship Books " is in 

 course of publication, and this is one of them. It is a pleasantly 

 written book, having for its central idea the many-sided appeal flowers 

 make to human beings. It is unlikely that one will agree with all 

 the author says, as, e.g., when he deals with flower colours and tells us 

 " Nature really knows best," and that those colours saved by man's 

 selection, not by Nature's, are always least pleasing. Surely sometimes 

 he says such things as this because he is ignorant of the wfld types 

 from which our garden flowers have sprung, for red sweet peas are no 

 more unnatural than are the pink ones he praises. The essay is full 

 of stimulating thought, but not of unrest : the type and paper are 

 excellent : the whole book a pleasure to read. 



■ Unsere Freiland-Nadelholzer." By Ernst Graf Sflva Tarouca. 

 Large 8vo., 302 pp. (Tempsky, Vienna ; and Freytag, Leipzig, 

 1913.) M. 18.70. 



Conifers have long had many admirers among the gardening 

 community both in England and abroad, and a book of this kind, 

 dealing as it does with their uses in various positions, with their 

 characteristics, and with the typical Conifers of different parts of 

 the world, will be welcomed. 



The book is divided into a general account of the Conifers, and a 

 special one of their classification, both botanical and horticultural. 



In the former appear chapters on the use of Conifers in the park 

 by E. Graf Silva Tarouca, and in the garden by Camillo Schneider, 

 who also contributes an account of the insect and fungus enemies of 

 the Coniferae, and a glossary ; on Chinese Conifers by E. H. Wflson ; 

 on Conifers of North America, by A. Rehder ; on the cultivation and 

 propagation of Conifers, by F. Zeman, and upon other matters. 



