The Subtropical Garden. By W. Robinson. (Murray.)—Mr. Robinson in his
preface explains the signification of the term " subtropical," a name which, as he says, is neither very happy nor very descrip-
tire. "Subtropical gardening," Ito says, " means the culture of plants with large and graceful or remarkable foliage or habit." And in his " introduction" he specially guards his readers against a notion which the term "subtropical" is likely to suggest, that this culture is beyond the reach of those who have not "heat" at their disposal. He tells us of abundance of hardy plants of the required character, from the plant- ing of which as fine an effect as can be desired may be easily produced. A. propos, of this he describes "Feta Island," the seat of Mr. Smith Barry near Queenstown, "the whole neighbourhood of which," he says, "was quite tropical in aspect," and that in a climate which is nothing like "subtropical," the thermometer having fallen, for instance, last year to 17' below freezing-point. Mr. Robinson's " introduction " is devoted to the principles of the gardening which he desires to see followed, the gardening, i.e., of form, as opposed but as combined with colour, now the only thing thought of by most professors of the art. The body of the work gives a list of plants, shrubs, and with their charaoteristio habits, &c., which are suitable for the purpose. It is a book, as those who know Mr. Robinson's works need not be told, of a thoroughly genuine and most useful character. With this volume may be mentioned another, which may well serve as companion to it, Handbook of Hardy Herbaceous and Alpine Flowers, by William Sutherland (Blackwood.) We have to notice also two useful little handbooks, Poultry, their Varieties, 4.c. ; and Pigeons ; by Hugh Piper (Groombridge).
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