1884.] 
425 
Analyses 0} Books. 
introduction of this passage is the more to be regretted since it 
has absolutely no connection with the “ wonders of plant-life.” 
The succeeding chapter, on single-celled green plants, is well 
written and admirably illustrated, most of the figures being 
drawn from Nature, we presume, by the author herself. But at 
the conclusion she raises the question as to the nature of the 
“ vital force,” and speaks of the theistic solution as “ too simple, 
perhaps, for those who are bent upon looking back through 
millions of ages to the fiery gas out of which, they say, not only 
our worlds and systems of worlds have been developed.” But 
such simple solutions cut off Science at its very root. 
The chapter on fungi and lichens deals, among other low 
forms of plant-life, with baCteria, the muscardine of the silk- 
worm, the parasite which destroys flies, Listerism, and esculent 
fungi. Phallus impudicus, which is here misprinted Phajus, is 
strangely described as being of great beauty. The function of 
the lichens in decomposing rocks, and thus aiding in the great 
process of soil-making, has been omitted. 
In discussing the ferns Miss Herrick speaks of “ the most 
perfect manifestations of vegetable life.” So, then, unless per- 
fection admits of degrees, all plants are not “ perfect,” as was 
intimated in the beginning of the book. 
In the chapter on corn and its congeners we find an Agassizian 
idea : — “ The dim prophecies that have been struggling for utter- 
ance through all the language of vegetable life here find their 
fulfilment.” Indeed, throughout all the work, we find no decisive 
evidence that the author accepts the principle of Evolution. 
The fecundation of the orchids is described at some length. 
But Miss Herrick is too sweeping when she says — “To begin 
with, they are epiphytes or air-plants.” She knows perfectly 
well that the orchids of cold climates grow in the soil like ordi- 
nary plants. On the same page we read : — “ In Darwin’s 
charming little volume upon the fertilisation of orchids, multi- 
tudes of forms are represented with an astounding number of 
variations of structure (* contrivances ’ he calls them, though he 
ignores the Contriver), to insure the cross-fertilisation of these 
plants.” Perhaps it might have been more judicious if Darwin 
had written “ quasi-contrivances ” — a term which would have 
harmonised better with their origin on the principle of Natural 
Selection, and would have evaded the above-cited quirk on the 
part of one who owns herself so largely his debtor. We are 
very glad to find that Miss Herrick makes no attempt to 
deny hybrid fertilisation. She writes : — “ There are many in- 
stances where a hybrid is produced by the fertilisation of one 
variety, species, or even — in rare and exceptional cases — genus 
by the pollen of another.” 
In a very interesting chapter on the pitcher-plants the author 
writes — “ for a living representation of the mighty Dino\nis of 
geologic times was subsequently found. If these words imply 
VOL. VI. (THIRD SERIES) 2 F 
