plant are used, I believe the resulting increase in size and numbers of 
flowers and vegetables will amply repay one for the extra work and expense. 
Reviewed by MRS. W. W. FRAZIER. 
flMant^Breefcing 
By BAILEY and GILBERT, MacMillan Co. 
To many the term "plant-breeding" is new and startling. As a 
matter of fact, it expresses a much more modern conception than the 
term "animal-breeding," and the acceptance of the term by usage marks 
an epoch in the cultivation of plants. As long as the breeding of plants 
was in the stage of experiment and the laws that governed it not deter- 
mined, the term was avoided, and instead much was written on the 
subject of "improvement" and "amelioration" of plants and "production 
and fixation of variety of plants." Now, as the author of "Plant-Breed- 
ing" points out, "both animal-breeding and plant-breeding are the results 
of a new attitude toward the forms of life — a conviction that the very 
structure, habits and attributes are amenable to change and control by 
man. This is really one of the great new attitudes of the modern world." 
The subject is by no means an easy or simple one. The present 
book is made up of the revised material of a much earlier book by 
Prof. L. H. Bailey, rewritten and brought up to date by Dr. Gilbert, 
professor of plant-breeding in the New York State College of Agriculture. 
Many changes have taken place in scientific theory during the life his- 
tory of this one book, which, founded in the principles established by 
Darwin, has been modified from time to time, in accordance with newer 
ideas. A comprehension of the philosophy of Darwin is, therefore, neces- 
sary to the understanding of the book. 
It is difficult to do credit to the admirable manner in which the 
author has presented these absorbingly interesting but complex theories. 
"Plant-Breeding" is a book for the use, primarily, of the serious student; 
but it is much more. Any one who has worked in a laboratory in con- 
nection with a college course will remember the glow of interest that 
was gradually fanned to a steady flame as, step by step, he was awak- 
ened to an understanding of nature's laws, and the world seemed 
illumined in a more brilliant light. This book produces the same effect. 
The author has the gift of imparting knowledge. He has made scientific 
data readable. With clearness and simplicity and with the imagination 
of the true scientific mind, that knows how to put his statements vividly, 
he first presents to the reader "the fact and philosophy of variation," 
leading him on to an understanding of Darwin's theory of Natural Selec- 
tion, and placing in contrast to this the counter-hypothesis of De Vries* 
theory of mutations. Hybridization is next considered in detail and 
Mendel's law of heredity expounded, and finally the practical details of 
pollination are given. By this time the interest of the reader has been 
so stimulated that at the sight of the compact little pollinating kit, 12 
