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122 PBACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON AGRICULTURAL GRASSES, ETC.
Asa Gray ; and few have embodied in their writings so much of
the personal characteristics which attached to their author. Asa
Gray's essays and sketches are reflections of the man who wrote
them ; and this is especially the case with the biographical contributions,
extending over a period of nearly thirty years. Most, if
not all, of the botanists commemorated were personally known to
their biographer, many of them intimately so ; and this gives an
especial and critical value to these memoirs.
The essays are well calculated to show the wide grasp which
Gray had of Botany as a whole. It may be said that there is an
absence of anything indicating his sympathies with the leading
but Gray was a systematist and general
school of the present day ;
botanist, rather than an examiner of minute points of structure.
The essay on " European Herbaria " has a special interest for us ;
those on the characteristics of the American flora are useful. The
" Notes on the History oi Helianthus tuberosus" are perhaps somewhat
out of place here, as they mainly consist of a letter
Trumbull to Asa Gray.
from Mr.
The reviews, to which the first volume is devoted, extend from
Lindley's 'Vegetable Kingdom,' in 1836, to Ball's 'Flora of the
Peruvian Andes,' 1885 ; they embrace the works of chief importance
in various branches of the science which have appeared between
those dates, as well as some of less value, which serve as texts for
conveying much useful and interesting information.
The last sentence of Prof. Sargent's preface, in which he speaks
of "the second and third volumes of this series" is not quite easy to
understand: the subjects allotted to these two being apparently
combined in the second of the volumes before us. A third selection
would be welcomed by many ; but if, as we think, such is not now
contemplated, we can heartily congratulate Prof. Sargent on the
complete representation of Asa Gray's work which he has given in
the volumes before us.
Practical Observations on Agricultural Grasses and other Pasture
Plants. By William Wilson, jun. London : Simpkin,
Marshall & Co. 1889. Pp.117. Price Is. 6(L
The author of this work is, we gather from its pages, a practical
farmer. He deprecates the services of men not practically acquainted
with the duties of the farm. They have by their " non-practical
suggestions" raised a prejudice against science among agriculturists.
Mr. Wilson comes to the rescue, and he points out "the value of
practical men taking up any branch connected with agriculture,
which fact is becoming to be properly recognised by agriculturists,
as well as recognising the great neglect which, as a rule, has
occurred in the matter of personal enquiry, and the consequent loss
as regards condition of soil, value of properly-selected grasses and
other plants, and the loss resulting from it of manure which the
roots and other decayed parts form, which may be described as the
manure received by natural causes."
In the record of his observations and experiences there is not a
little confused writing like the sentence quoted. We fear Mr.