13 JUNE 1914, Page 24

Through Western Madagascar. By W. D. Marcus& (Hurst and Blackett.

7s. 6d. net.)—Mr. Marcuse went to Madagascar to study the methods of culture and export of the Madagascar butter bean, which he considers superior in flavour and digesti. bility to the ordinary Lima or haricot bean, and of which six thousand tons were exported in 1911, though it was only intro- duced to the island in 1864. He is under the impression that no authentic account of the western littoral of Madagascar has been published in English "since Drury's Journal in 1779" —it should be 1729. Therefore be was impelled to write this modest narrative of his travels, which contains some interest- ing anecdotes and gives a useful account of the rising commerce of a little-known region.