44 
REVIEWS. 
Feb., 1891. 
Elementary Botany. By Joseph W. Oliver, Lecturer on Botany and 
Geology at the Midland Institute. Foolscap 8vo, pp. iv.—208. 
1891. Two Shillings. London : Blackie and Son (Limited). 
A really good elemeutary treatise on Botany is not only of great value 
in enabling the young student or beginner to understand and appreci¬ 
ate this beautiful science, but also as serving as a stepping-stone to 
those more erudite and perfect works of such writers as Sachs, 
Hofmeister, and others of the great luminaries of botanical science; 
and should be written not merely as a means to enable students to 
pass in the Science and Art Examinations, but also with the hope 
and intention of inspiring them with a true love for a study pure 
and beautiful. The work under review, although primarily written 
for the use of students who are studying under the Science and Art 
Department, is so far above an ordinary cram-book in its style, fulness, 
and interest as to render it a pleasing and instructive reading book for 
anyone who desires to gain an intelligent knowledge of botanical 
science, and may, without exaggeration, be pronounced to be one of 
the best of our existing elementary treatises on botany. Its language 
throughout is simple and intelligible, and the scientific terms requisite 
in such a work are all explained in the text. The illustrations, which 
are very numerous, are well chosen, ably drawn, and fully explained> 
some being taken from standard works, but many of them are drawn 
by the author from the objects themselves ; and it may be said with 
confidence that the student who has mastered the contents of this 
book, need fear no examination in the elementary or even advanced 
stage, more especially if he has followed the advice of the author, 
and added to his reading the knowledge to be gained only by a close 
personal examination of the objects themselves. The work opens 
with a preface giving advice as to the most serviceable way in which to 
use the book ; followed by the introduction, in which are defined the 
terms Botany, Plant, Cryptogam, Phanerogam, &c., and then advice 
is given to the student as to the appliances required in the study. 
The general work is divided into five parts, each consisting of two or 
more chapters. 
Part I., “General Morphology,” treats of (1) the Plant as a whole ; 
(2) Seeds : Germination, the bean and wheat being taken as examples ; 
(8) the Root; (4) the Stem, a chapter ably written, full of instruc¬ 
tion, and thoroughly well illustrated; (5) Leaves: Hairs; and (6) 
Branching: Branch Systems. This part fills 36 pages of letterpress, 
and is illustrated by 49 figures. 
Part II., “ The Anatomy of Plants,” commences with an account 
of (1) the Cell, giving its structure, chemical elements, formation, and 
contents ; (2) the Tissues of Plants, or cells in combination, occu¬ 
pying 33 pages, illustrated by 26 figures. 
Part III., “ The Physiology of Plants,” treats of the life history of 
plants, and embraces (1) the Food of Plants; (2) Absorption by 
