Colonial Development and Welfaredoi: 10.1038/163889a0pmid: N/A
THE full statement which the Minister of Food, Mr. Strachey, made in the House of Commons on the East Africa groundnut scheme on March 14 did not dispose of the criticism ; on the whole, however, with some assistance from the Opposition,
Organic Form and Related Biological Problemsdoi: 10.1038/163891a0pmid: N/A
THE title of this book is aptly descriptive of the contents. In a series of related essays, the author has discussed the factors which determine form in living organisms. It is difficult to do justice to a work such as this in a short review, for the author has succeeded in saying so much, and that with an illuminating perspicacity, that is cogent in each of his condensed chapters. These are concerned with an inquiry into the problem of organic form, the functional aspect of morphogenetic processes, competition as an integrative factor in morphogenesis, differentiation, chemical equilibrium and organic integration, and so on. On each theme, the leading ideas that at one time or another have been held are clearly set out, and an attempt is made to find a sure way to explanations of a valid kind. In these discussions the author's fairness and balance are a striking feature; his contribution is patently the result of long and deep pondering of central themes in contemporary biology.
La vegetación del nordest de la Provincia de Entre Rios Informe cientifico (The Plant Cover of the North-east of the Province of Entre Ríos : Scientific Report.) Observatories sobre la vegetación de la Provincia de Tucumán (Observations on the Vegetation of the Province of Tucumán) Esquisse de mes voyages au Brésil et Paraguay, considérés principalement sous le rapport de la botanique (Sketch of my Travels in Brazil and Paraguay, with special reference to the Botany of those Countries)ROSEVEARE, G. M.
doi: 10.1038/163892a0pmid: N/A
THE work of the botanical pioneers in South America appeared for the most part in the form of pamphlets or monographs which soon became exhausted and inaccessible to later generations, or else it was published in equally inaccessible, obscure periodicals. Most of it was, however, work of great importance and the foundation upon which subsequent research, at all events for certain regions, has been built. For this reason the recent re-publication of some of the outstanding earlier work is a welcome addition to the botanist's armoury, and it is to be hoped that more will follow.
Advances in ElectronicsALLIBONE, T. E.
doi: 10.1038/163893a0pmid: N/A
THE “Reports on Progress in Physics” have always fulfilled a valuable function in acquainting the specialist in any one of the physical sciences with progress in cognate subjects. These “Reports” cover the whole range of physics, and it was felt that electronics, though a part of physics, so spilled over into electrical engineering and had grown to such a size that a volume of review articles confined to electronics was needed. Dr. L. Marton, now of the Bureau of Standards, has undertaken this task as editor, and the first volume has just been published. Although this is an American publication, it intends to draw freely upon European men of science for review articles, and already plans for volumes 2 and 3 include a number of British contributors. Volume 1 is written entirely by American men of science, but this was due to the difficulties encountered in launching the new venture.
The BadgerGORDON, SETON
doi: 10.1038/163894a0pmid: N/A
THIS monograph on the badger by Ernest Neal is, I think, the best book that has been published on this nocturnal animal. The author has a literally astonishing knowledge of the badger and its habits, and he is able to set down this knowledge in an attractive form and in good and readable prose. The reader with him visits the badger's setts, and there watches the fascinating chapters in the animal's life. He sees a badger emerge from the sett or earth, scratch himself, romp with his mate, and call out the young ones.
Inorganic Process IndustriesWATSON, H. E.
doi: 10.1038/163895c0pmid: N/A
THIS book is intended to impress on students the importance of following the evolution of an industry and of keeping abreast with modern developments by Studying the literature. The first chapter gives very comprehensive method of studying the litieJature. The remaining nine might better be entitled "Some Inorganic Industries in the United States", and consist of a series of descriptive articles, each of about 40 pages, on the main heavy-chemical industries. These are presented in a historical manner, contain no references, and do not emphasize new developments. At the end of each chapter a number of articles is listed as a recommendation for students to read. These are almost exclusively of American origin. Except for a few historical refer ences, the subject-matter is confined to the manufacture of sodium and potassium salts, chlorine, sulphuric acid, and nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in the United States ; and the book can scarcely be expected to appeal to British readers, in spite of an admirable set-up, clear diagrams and good printing.
Annual Review of Microbiologydoi: 10.1038/163895a0pmid: N/A
IN this, the second volume of a new series of annual reviews, an attempt is made to survey major aspects of the vigorous and ever-widening field of microbiology. Broadly speaking, the matter pre-sencedlranges over the physiology, pathogenicity and genetics of fungi, bacteria, protozoa and viruses ; but particular themes such as antibiotics, the nature of antibodies, the inheritance of immunity, the mode of action of therapeutic agents, nitrogen fixation, chemical disinfectants and the microbiology of soils, drinking water and sewage, have also received attention. In a work which is intended to provide up-to-date information over a wide field, it would be invidious to pick out particular essays for special mention ; indeed, as some of them run to forty or fifty odd pages, it would be difficult to do justice to any one of them in a short review. The reader is, however, assured of a wealth and diversity of information both in the text and in the comprehensive bibliographies.
The Failure of Metals by FatigueBAILEY, G. L.
doi: 10.1038/163895b0pmid: N/A
THE holding of symposia to discuss present views on a particular subject is becoming increasingly popular. Each provides the occasion for pooling available, scientific knowledge in a particular field, to the great convenience of individual workers on the subject. The main benefit, however, as Dr. H. J. Gough says in his foreword to this volume, is in the provision “of a spring-board from which valuable researches will be launched”.
The Works of George Berkeley, Bishop of CloyneR., A. D.
doi: 10.1038/163895d0pmid: N/A
THIS first volume of the new complete edition of the works of Berkeley is most welcome and is a handsome well-produced book worthy of its subject. Frier's editions of 1871 and 1901 have been useful, but have some serious defects. Fraser discovered the notebooks containing Berkeley's "Philosophical Commentaries", but failed to see that they had been bound together in the wrong order. His transcription was not always accurate. Prof. Luce's magnificent edition of 1944 put right these defects and provided invaluable notes. He here reprints the "Commentaries" in handier form with shorter notes, sufficient for explanatory purposes. The "New Theory of Vision" never presented serious textual difficulties ; but Fraser did not distinguish properly the alterations made by Berkeley in his life-time and does not appear to have used the last version. Prof. Luce reprints this fourth and last edition, indicating all alterations. In his introduction, while stressing the permanent value of this work of Berkeley, he mentions a point often forgotten, namely, how much it owed to the influence of Molyneux.
Weather Forecastingdoi: 10.1038/163896a0pmid: N/A
INSTUCTOR-COMMANDER S. W. C. PACK is concerned more with the fundamental bases of synoptic metegrology than with the actual details of weather forerafeting. As a grounding, his book is comprehensive, beginning with the structure of the atmospiere and, briefly, meteorological instruments, and continuing with a good deal of climatology, which is an essential background to all weather forecasting. Incidentally, the thermometer at Black-adder which recorded a minimum of -23° F. was not conventionally exposed. The chapter on "Fronts"and the development of depressions is on the usual lines ; but wind in relation to pressure gradient is more clearly demonstrated than is usual in textbooks. The most detailed and best part of the book is the treatment of adiabatic changes, dry and saturated, and the discussion of the tephigram and its uses in determining stability or instability ; this should make a difficult subject clear to most students, as should also the later chapter on the variation of wind with height. The chapter on analysis and forecasting covers only eleven pages and is disappointing ; there is no actual example of the analysis of a chart, either at ground-level or in the upper air. The book is well illustrated with photographs and clear diagrams. but seems high-priced for its size.