The herald., 1895-02-11
Recent Appearances in the
World of Books
ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WRITE
A Notable Story About New York Life of
Today
The Lehrbuch der Botanik--Crawford's The
Ralstons - News and Per.
sonal Notes.

Macmillan & Co. announce a translation
of the new Strasburger, Noll Schenck and
Schimper Lehrbuch der Botanik. The
completeness with which the whole sub
ject of botanical study is treated and the
reputation of the authors make the an
nouncement of this book one OF unusual
Importance to professors, as it will do
away with the necessity, heretofore exist
ing, of purchasing single textbooks for
each department of botanical study. The
illustrations, some $40 in number, have
been made special feature of the book,
and are remarkable for their extreme
clearness. By an arrangement with the
German publishers, Macmillan e. Co. are
enabled to offer illustrations of the same
degree OF excellence as those in the Ger
man edition. In writing this Lehrbuch
der Botanik the authors have given un-
usual regard to the importance of each di-
vision Of botanical study, and have al
lotted to each the proportion of space
requisite for its due emphasis and consid-
Grafton.
The book throughout bears uniformity
of design which is seldom seen in similar
Yolaborated books, and is only possible
IN cases like this, where the four authors
are all members of the same botanical
laboratory and in daily consultation.
Under the head of morphology, the sub
jects of descriptive and structural botany
are treated by Strasburger in manner
fully sustaining his great reputation,
and in convenient and concise form are
stated the latest results of historical re-
search.
To physiology, by DR.. Noll, is assigned
a space equal to that of morphology, SO
that il at once claims the attention and
consideration that modern methods of
botanical study rightly demand for it,
the chemical and physical laws of the life
and growth of plants are discussed and
expermentally explained together with
the effects and resulting notifications
of external agencies, gravity, heat light,
moisture, etc
The closing chapter on alienation of gen.
Grafton, fertilization, egg development,
extension of species, makes a natural and
logical introduction to systematic botany.
To special or systematic botany, the
latter part of the book is devoted, that
part on cryptograms being written
by DR.. Schenck, while DR.. Schim-
per has charge of the phanerogams.
By both special attention has been paid
to embryonic developments and relation
ships. In this respect the book will be
found of peculiar value to lovers of sys-
tematic botany, as the comparative meth
DDS employed and the system of grouping
naturally related families make this part
of universal application.
In short, it is in no sense a catalogue of
local fora, nor is it so intended, but a.
broad and comprehensive study of the
natural plant families and their place in
the vegetable kingdom. The innovation
OF colored plates for poisonous and med
icinal plants adds to the value of the book.
The translation will be made by DR.. A. G.
Porter assistant instructor in botany,
Of nj nr nrto
has been student of Strasburger, and his
long studies in German and personal ac-
quaintance with the authors of the Bot
any render him especially fitted for the
work. 4 .r- aaa
= 4A
Marion Crawford has produced a novel
in The Ralstons which is full of action,
dramatic tenseness and vigor. The time
is today, the scene New York and the
characters are the sort OF people that wa
all know; there is no great crime in the
book, no immortality, the Seventh COM
mandment remains intact throughout its
chapters, it is healthy in all particulars
and yet it stirs ones blood and holds
ones interest in a way that in these days
of analytical fiction and novels with a
purpose, is as rare as it is enjoyable.
The Ralstons is partial sequel of
Katherine Landerdale, a two volume
novel that appeared some months ago
and which outside of its rather slender
merit, attracted much comment, as Mr.
Crawford's first attempt with New York's
character and scenes. In this style of
writing a novel in two parts and four vol
umns, the author displays forshanded-
ness that is not often an accompaniment
OF an artistic nature. Everybody who
bought Katherine Lauderdale will wish
to purchase the Ralstons, and many who
read the latter first will get the former;
besides, two volume story costs more
and consequently the returns are greater.
Then Mr.. Crawford promises anoth er
instaliment about this attractive young
woman i'll the future.
This deduction of Mr.. Crawford's mo-
tives, he vever, is not made in any cap
tious spirit. 1t serves only to show that
authors are becoming businesslike, for
the novel reading public cannot object to
any number CT two part stories as long as
they are as entertaining as The Ralstons.
Va The most interesting character of the
book is old Robert Lauderdale, the multi
millionaire on whose eighty odd millions
the motif OF the tale centers, and in the
progress OF their disposal after the old
mans death, is developed the traits of
the other actors. The people described
are all types recognizable as such in a
moment by New Workers, but will none
the less be found of peculiar interest by
persons unfamiliar with the metropolis.
No one has before found any trace of
sOCltliotlC tlouSnI, Ut economic UneOr1Z-
ing in Mr.. Crawford's works, nor in fact
is there any on the surface in these his
latest books, but to the careful
reader it is evident that, perhaps
without intention, possibly simply be-
cause such problems are SO interviewer
with all the features of life today that they
will not down. the author has some de-
cided ideas on such matters, and in the
treatment of the mass of money, around
which the story is written, these ideas &C.
casionally crop out. But there is no OPP
pressiveness, no attempt to preach or
for entertainment will find it in The Rails
dale, Nicholas Nickleby, Charles O'Mal-
of other good stories that have
amused before NJ. Zola Mr.. Howells
and Mr.. James became possessed of the
idea that it was their mission TO turn the |
novel into scientific treatise on life.
THE RALsToNs, by MARION CRAWFORD; two
Vols. Macmillan e. Company, New York. |
For sale by Stol & Thayer.
4 4
In The Good Ship Mohock Mr.. W. |
Clark Russell has given the public an
other OF his pungent stories of the sea,
one that has all the inspiriting flavor of |
briny spray and breezy freshness that al I
ways characterizes his tales.
Mr.. Russell is clever story teller, he
has the technique of the sailorman to
perfection, decidedly high literary abil-
ity, firm, satisfying style, and the added
quality of always writing about the sea.
The great deep is of an interest as bound