BOOK REVIEWS. 
203 
" The purpose of this book," writes the author, "'is to help make our Country 
more beautiful — our Country referring specially to the United States." The 
greater part of his writing refers to public spaces, where " one may walk without 
feeling that he is trespassing," and he covers carefully all the ground usually 
dealt with in essays of this nature. 
Even if the chapters devoted to " Home Grounds " appear somewhat 
elementary to the student of landscape gardening in England, they will, like 
the remainder of the book, repay perusal. Indeed, it is good for us to read 
carefully the well-written American books on landscape gardening. Although 
some of the wisdom strikes us as homely, one often finds in an elaborate 
exposition of matters which you think you have known from your cradle an 
aspect which has never struck you before, or has never been expressed so plainly 
by an English writer. 
Amerj^an books are necessarily written for a public which in large measure 
is unsophisticated in garden art, and the writers are obliged to cover much 
ground which we should take for granted. They are careful investigators of 
the best that the world can offer in practice and in theory, and prove by such 
productions as the present that their garden work is in process of reaching the 
perfection already attained by American architecture. Mr. Simonds writes 
with great facility and is a master of his subject. 
" Villa and Cottage Gardening : specially adapted for Scotland, Northern 
England, and Ireland." By A. Sweet, revised by G. M. Taylor. Ed. 10. x + 
238 pp. 8vo. (Walter Scott Publishing Co., London [1921].) Paper boards, 
is. 6d. ; cloth, 25. • 
Dealing mainly with northern conditions which limit to some extent the 
kinds of plants worth planting, this little book will, no doubt, be valued there 
as the outcome of northern experience. A perusal of the directions given 
shows, however, that almost the whole of it might have been written word 
for word after experience in the south, to the equal advantage of southern 
gardeners. 
"The Chemistry of the Garden." By H. H. Cousins. 2nd rev. ed. xx 
147 pp. Sm. 8vo. (Macmillan, London, 1920.) 25. net. 
After a life of twenty-four years, this most useful guide to the manuring of 
garden plants is too well known and too highly valued to need repetition of the 
praise it so greatly deserves. 
Revision has been rendered necessary because of the march of knowledge, 
and this revision the book has received, not so as to alter its character, but 
so as to increase its usefulness. We cordially commend it to all, and espe- 
cially to those gardeners, amateur and professional, to whom it is at present 
unknown. 
" The Flora of Natal and Zululand." By J. W. Bews, M.A., D.Sc. 8vo. 
vi + 348 pp. (City Printing Works, Pietermaritzburg, 1921.) 1 55. net. 
This little book comprises a brief history of botanical exploration in Natal 
and Zululand ; a bibliography of works dealing with this flora ; a key to the 
families included, and under each family a key to the genera, followed by a 
localized list of species without descriptions or references thereto (though the 
author's name is given), but generally with the native name. 
The flora is a large one, for 3,786 species distributed through 901 genera 
are enumerated. 
" An Anthography of the Eucalypts." By Russell Grimwade. 4to. (Angus 
and Robertson, Sydney, 1920.) 52s. 6d. 
Seventy-nine reproductions of photographs representing nearly as many 
species of Eucalyptus, short notes on each, a brief introduction, and an index 
comprise this book. The photographs show as a rule leaves, flowers, and fruits, 
and are beautifully reproduced in green or brown tones, and should be of great 
value in furthering the object the author had in view — to facilitate the identifi- 
cation of species by those unlearned in botany. A few of the plates fail in 
artistic beauty because of the badly damaged leaves, eaten by insects or torn 
by storms, but most are examples of excellent specimens, and show the critical 
characters of flower and fruit very well. The notes describe the range and main 
characters of the bark, leaves, etc. 
