38 
Book  Reviews. 
{Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
January,  1915. 
number  of  practical  studies  of  plants.  If  the  exercises  are  reasonable 
and  represent  definite  problems,  these  courses  must  have  a  cultural 
influence  equal  to  the  studies  in  mathematics  and  the  classics.  Under 
plant  physiology  a  great  variety  of  subjects  are  treated,  of  which  the 
following  may  be  mentioned,  showing  the  rather  comprehensive 
treatment  by  the  author :  Under  nutrition  are  considered  water,  im- 
bibition, osmosis,  turgor,  path  of  water,  evaporation  of  water,  root 
pressure,  solutions,  mineral  nutrients,  photosynthesis,  carbohydrates, 
proteins,  root  nodules,  hysterophytic  plants,  respiration,  anaerobic 
and  aerobic  respiration,  fermentation,  temperature  relations,  effect  of 
poisons.  Under  growth  are  considered  the  relation  to  nutrition,  tem- 
perature, light.  Under  reproduction  are  considered  asexual  and  sex- 
ual forms,  behavior  of  chromosSmes,  diploid  and  haploid  number, 
inheritance,  Mendelism,  natural  selection,  survival  of  the  fittest,  vari- 
ations, mutations,  evolution,  phylogeny,  plant  breeding.  Under  move- 
ments are  given  hygroscopic  movements  protoplasmic  movements,- 
turgor  movements,  growth  movements,  nutation,  tropisms,  photo- 
tropism,  geotropism,  thigmotropism,  chemotropism,  hydrotropism. 
Under  pathology  we  find  physiological  diseases  and  diseases  due  to 
parasites.  In  connection  with  this  part  of  the  book  quite  a  number  of 
experiments  are  outlined,  and  these  are  frequently  indicated  by  illus- 
trations which,  although  they  are  reduced  considerably,  nevertheless 
show  the  construction  of  the  apparatus  employed  and  the  results 
likely  to  be  obtained. 
There  is  also  a  classification  of  the  important  plant  constituents, 
which,  though  very  brief,  shows  their  nature  and  probably  will  cause 
students  to  investigate  the  subject  further.  More  than  one-half  of 
the  book  is  devoted  to  the  classification  of  various  plants  and  the 
consideration  of  the  phyla  or  groups  of  plants.  This  is  exceedingly 
well  done  and  interesting,  being  supplemented  with  a  large  number 
of  laboratory  studies  and  numerous  references  to  the  important  lit- 
erature. While  there  are  some  who  might  feel  that  certain  portions 
of  this  book  might  be  more  extended  and  more  detailed,  yet  it  is 
important  to  bear  in  mind  that  there  are  a  great  many  students  who 
do  not  wish  to  specialize  in  botany,  and  for  them  the  ideal  book 
is  one  which  contains  a  sufficient  amount  of  accurate  and  authentic 
information  and  which  causes  them  to  continue  their  interest  in  the 
subject.  As  an  elementary  text-book  this  new  work  of  Bessey's  is  to 
be  commended. 
