Readily eligible for Industrial culture or Naturalization. By Baron Ferd Von Mueller. Detroit: published by Geo. S. Davis, 1884.

This was originally prepared for Australian use, but the succinct information given of industrial plants adapted to temperate climates, is of equal value everywhere, and hence, there has been a universal demand for it. It has been reprinted in India, and translated into German for use in the Old World. In no country perhaps is there so much inquiry for economic plants as in the United States; and the enterprising Detroit publisher, who has now given it to our country, deserves national thanks.

The plants of this continent come into the list in a work like this, as well as those of other portions of the earth. As an illustration we take at random the following : " Chlorogalum pomeri-dianum (Kunth) California, frequent in the mountains. This lily-like plant attains a height of 8 feet.' The heavy bulb is covered with many coatings, consisting of fibres, which are used for cushions, mattresses, etc.; contracts are entered into for the supply of this material on a very extensive scale (Prof. Bolander). The inner part of the bulb serves as a substitute for soap, and the possibility of utilizing it for technological purposes like the root of Saponaria might be tested, as it contains saponin." "Fraxinus sambucifolia (Lamarck), Black or Water ash of North America. Attains a height of 80 feet. Wood still more tough and elastic than that of F. Americana, the white ash, but less durable when exposed; easily split into thin layers for basket work. Its wood is comparatively rich in potash, like most of its congeners; for oars and implements it is inferior to that of the white ash (Simmonds)." Among Australian plants a number of the most useful Eucalypts are described, as for instance, "Eucalyptus punctata.

The Leather-jacket, or Hickory Eucalypt of New South Wales. A beautiful tree with a smooth bark, attaining 100 feet or more, of rather quick growth. The wood is of a light brown color, hard, tough and very durable; used for fence posts, railway sleepers, wheelwright's work, also for ship building (Woolls)." Then, again, among Europeans such notes as these : "Acer platanoides, the Norway maple (Wild); south to Switzerland; up to 80 feet high. Found hardy in Norway up to 670, 56' N. Attained in lat. 590 46' a diameter of 3½ feet (Schrebder). The pole wood much used by cabinet makers. Tint of the autumn foliage golden yellow. A tree of imposing appearance, much recommended for ornamental gardening; it gives a denser shade than most of the other maples".

In this concise manner almost all that is known of the economic character of all plants in use is given in a closely printed volume of 449 pages. One of the most useful features of the work consists in the numerous indices, tables, and lists of cross references. Plants yielding herbage, plants yielding culinary roots, cereals, pulse, esculent fruits, avenue trees, dye-plants, hedge-plants, and numerous others are all indexed by themselves. Indices of common names, and botanical names, and systematic indices of botanical names for those who are so inclined.

As a work of reference, few intelligent cultivators can afford to be without it, while we suppose as a matter of course it will find a place in every American public library.