Evening star., 1925-04-03
THE PUBLIC
LIBRARY
l4.-Science in Plain English.

scrfptions, chemical formuiae, and
Latin words written in italics are
great stumbling blocks to the reader
unaccustomed to scientific lore. He
demands to know what 1t all Is "in
plain English and consequently
many books have been written on the
discoveries and achievements OF mod
ern science with the purpose of Civ
ing the gist of the matter rather than
an exhaustive scientific description.
To help accomplish their purpose such
books are usually presented in most
attractive editions and are freely IL
Illustrated with pictures which bring
out at q glance what 1t would take
pages to relate.
A splendid all-around book. cover
ing every branch of science. pure and
applied, is Thomson's Outline of Sci
ence" AT3860.3). Beginning with
astronomy and taking up in turn the
story of evolution, natural history,
the science of the mind. the marvels
of electricity, applied science In all
it's forms, the Einstein theory and, in
fact, every aspect of science, these
two volumes give the reader an ex-
cellent fund of scientific knowledge
and would prove a sound basis for
more detailed study. 1t is meant for
"the general reader who lacks both
time and opportunity for special
study, and yet would take an intelli-
gent interest in the progress Of sci
ence which is making the world al
ways new
Science Remaking the World
CLA-C125s), edited by Otis w. Cald-
we'll and Edwin e. Slosson, contains
16 chapters by specialists in various
fields. the titles of several being
Gasoline as World Power" Our
Cracapt Lnnuy1ad0a of TrhercnlOsiS'' n "
"Electrons and How We Use Them,
and Chemistry and Economy OF
Food" This book Is not as inclusive
as the Outline Of Science" but 1t
deals with facts along the average
persons lines Of interest.
In the Springtine the readers at
tention is attracted chiefly by animal
and plant life. Julia E. Rogers in
THE Tree Book" INK R632t.D says
that every one, no matter how sin
cerely and vehemently nc declares, Il
know nothing at all about trees" has
good nucleus of tree knowledge
around which to accumulate more,
even though 1t may be only his own
dooryard or the streets he travels
four times a day. The necessity OF
knowing a trees name Is emphasized
by the author, not as an end In itself,
but as the beginning Of acquaintance
with them. Simply to learn that all
the plants have been studied and
named, even the humbiest. that they
all have vital relations with one an
other-famiiy ties-is a Joy to the
spirit and a light to the mind" writes
John Burroughs. Julia Rogers book
shows how to know trees and points
out the characteristics to note in
studying them.
Bird Neighbors" (PE-B592b.18) by
Neltje Blanchan gives familiar in
| PRODUCTION to the birds that live near
us-"their characteristics of size. col
or and flight: their peculiarities of
| instinct and temperament; their nest
and home life: their choice of food
their songs; and the season in which
we may expect them to play their
part in the great panorama nature
unfolds with faithful precision year
after year" The beautiful illustra-
| tions painted by artists who are spe-
cialists In bird portraiture, the intro
duction by John Burroughs and the
classification of the birds according to
color are only a few Of the attractive
features of this book.
Natures Garden" (N-B59.1D by
the same author is an aid to knowl-
edge of wild flowers. over 500 flow
ers' are classified and many photo
graphed, thus adding a great deal to
the usefulness of the book. 1t differs
from most books on wild flowers in
it's emphasis on the relationships be-
tween our common wild flowers and
insects and in it's classification ac-
cording to color. for the author be-
| lieves that the novice with no knowl-
edge of botany whatever can most
readily identify the specimen found
| by this method and, as she explains
I, ~ hoi n O
| the simple one adopted by the higher
| insects ages before books were writ
| ten" 'Orchids for Every One" (NR-
| C944) is an excellent book for those
persons who have found orchid cul-
ture an absorbing hobby.
The glow-worm celebrates the JOY
| of life by lighting a lantern at it.
| tail-end-he shines. which is an ex-
| ceIlent manner of becoming famous
He can turn 1t up or down or out as
he pleases" Before the glow-worn
| begins to feed on his victim he gives
! IL an anesthetic-he makes 1t un'
| conscious as a person is made uncon-
| scious with chloroform before a sur
| gical operation" These strange phe
nomena and many others pertaining
4 to the insect world are carefully and
popularity presented In Fabre's "Bool
of Insects" (OT-Fl12b). BY attrib
uting characteristics of human being.
| to these lowly creatures q humorou.
1 effect is achieved which makes the
| book extremely entertaining as wei
1 as instructive. American Animals
| (PG-St732), a popular guide to the
mammals Of North America, contain:
many photographs of animals In theiI
| native haunts. While 1t deals witt
| many animals unfamiliar to the av'
erage person, il also takes up the
| common species that one is likely t
| see on an ordinary ramble and de
| ~or{hnv tnair 1{fa opd bah{fs