Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
October,  1897.  J 
.  Reviews. 
549 
The  whole  is  a  creditable  piece  of  research  work,  which,  in  view  of  the 
growing  popularity  of  the  drug,  is  worth  the  while  of  pharmacognosists  to 
study. 
Anniversary  Address  before  the  Royal  Society  of  New  South  Wales,  by 
the  president,  J.  H.  Maiden,  Government  Botanist  and  Director  of  the  Botanic 
Gardens,  Sydney,  May  5,  1897. 
This  comprehensive  pamphlet  of  sixty-nine  pages  is  composed  as  follows  : 
"History  of  the  Society  during  the  past  year,"  "  Progress  of  Science  in  New 
South  Wales  during  the  past  year,"  "Some  Botanical  Matters,"  "Forestry, 
etc.,"  "Australian  Timbers,"  "Botanical  Teaching  in  New  South  Wales," 
**  A  Plea  for  a  Botanical  Survey." 
Under  botanical  matters,  a  fitting  allusion  is  made  to  the  life  work  of  the  late 
Baron  von  Mueller.  Every  part  of  the  address  contains  valuable  information 
about  Australia. 
Contributions  from  the  U.  S.  National  Herbarium,  Vol.  V,  No.  3, 
Studies  of  Mexican  and  Central  American  Plants.  By  J.  N.  Rose, 
Washington,  1897. 
The  similarity  in  the  flora  between  the  Southwestern  United  States  and  the 
regions  covered  in  the  above  contribution  makes  this  number  of  considerable 
interest.    The  illustrations  are  numerous  and  well  executed. 
Age  oe  Trees  and  Time  of  Blazing  Determined  by  Annual  Rings. 
By  B.  E.  Fernow,  Chief  of  Division  of  Forestry.  Circular  No.  16,  issued  by  the 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  Division  of  Forestry. 
The  author  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  method  of  determining  the  age  of  trees 
by  counting  the  annual  rings  ;  indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  understand  how  there 
can  be  an}'  controversy  on  the  subject.  Mr.  Fernow,  after  a  close  study  of  the 
objections,  has  written  a  clear  and  concise  account  of  how  to  overcome  the 
difficulties.  The  part  devoted  to  the  covering  of  blazes,  wounds  and  knots  is 
also  valuable.    The  circular  is  remarkably  well  illustrated. 
Cider  Vinegars  of  Pennsylvania.  By  Dr.  William  Frear,  Bulletin  No. 
22,  of  the  Pennsylvania  Department  of  Agriculture. 
While  much  of  this  report  is  especially  of  value  to  the  farmer  in  determining 
the  value  and  ripeness  of  his  product,  still  the  chemist,  after  reading  it,  cannot 
but  be  better  prepared  to  identify  a  true  cider. 
Salicylic  Acid  and  Calcium  Sulphite  as  Preservatives  of  Cider.  By 
E.  H.  S.  Bailey  and  Chas.  M.  Palmer.  From  the  Kansas  University  Quarterly, 
Vol.  VI,  No.  3,  1897. 
Bulletin  of  The  Bussey  Institution,  Jamaica  Plain,  Boston,  Vol.  II, 
Part  VI,  1897. 
This  number  is  devoted  to  "Observations  on  Some  of  the  Chemical  Substances 
in  the  Trunks  of  Trees."  By  F.  H.  Storer,  Professor  of  Agricultural  Chemistry. 
It  is  of  especial  interest  because  of  its  record  of  the  investigation  of  cellulose  and 
closely  allied  bodies. 
Medical  Botany.  By  William  Trelease,  Sc.D.,  Director  of  the  Missouri 
Botanical  Garden. 
Coming  from  such  a  source,  this  contribution  should  be  read  with  more  than 
