196 JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



"Popular Garden Flowers." By Walter P. Wright. 8v>o. 

 376 pp. (Grant Eichards, London, 1911.) 6s. net. 



In our opinion this is one of the best books written by 

 this popular writer, and we are glad to see he protests against the 

 overcrowding of plants. He says, " Many amateurs grow too many 

 kinds of plants. They crowd their beds, borders, and rockeries with a 

 heterogeneous assembly of genera, many of which are of no special 

 value. They would find gardening equally interesting, and far more 

 effective, if they selected a few of the great flowers, which have been 

 developed by florists, studied the habit and requirements of the plants, 

 and made themselves acquainted with the best varieties." The author 

 has admirably indicated what he means by this, in dealing with the 

 great and popular flowers, such as Anemones, Asters, Campanulas, 

 Carnations, Aquilegias, Dahlias, Chrysanthemums, Eoses, Iris, 

 Paeonies, and so on, that one usually associates with an old garden, 

 where one expects to find old-fashioned and beautiful flowers in 

 profusion. 



There are good illustrations in colour of Lilies, Sweet Peas, Holly- 

 hocks, Larkspurs, and Eoses, and some capital black-and-white 

 illustrations. The printing is excellent, and the book well-turned out, 

 finishing with a first-rate index. 



"A Book of Gardens." Illustrated by Margaret H. Waterfield. 

 8vo. 131 pp. (Fouhs, Edinburgh, 1910.) 2s. 6d. net. 



This book is a description of the gardens of famous authors; no 

 mention is made of any author, therefore we imagine it is compiled 

 from various sources. The illustrations are done in Miss Waterfield 's 

 usual beautiful colours, and the decorations are by A. W. Graham 

 Brown. All the chapters on the various authors' gardens are interest- 

 ing, but Cowper's Garden (from his letters) are particularly 

 interesting, all his letters being delightful reading, and for these letters 

 alone the book is well worth the price charged. The book is well 

 printed, and though there is no index the contents are clearly set forth 

 in the commencement of the book. 



"A Book about the Garden and the Gardener." By Dean Hole. 

 8vo. 372. (Nelson, London, 1910.) Is. net. . 



In all the mass of garden literature of the present day there is no 

 writer or author so gifted, or so fascinating as Dean Hole. The racy 

 style, great fund of anecdotes, all leading up to, or emphasizing some 

 point, were all so charming, that when the Dean wrote a book, or 

 articles in the Horticultural Press, the writer well remembers how 

 eagerly lovers of gardening devoured what he had written. Most -of 

 the matter was written as long ago as 1892, and we feel sure that 

 anyone reading this book now will derive much enjoyment and profit 

 from its pages. "The Gardener's Dream," "The Six of Spades," 

 " The Joy of a Garden," and other chapters appeared, we believe, years 

 ago, and during the Dean's lifetime, in periodicals. And it is a boon 



