Review

This volume covers entries from the letters Ph—Re of this Cyclopaedia, which next to entries on plants (457 in all) contains also entries on minerals and animal products. Plants are arranged alphabetically under generic names. The impression is that plants are more lavishly treated in detail than the two other categories which together cover only 28 pp. The other 7 volumes also contain mainly botanical information; 90 % of the total entries being botanical. The series is essentially a modem treatment of George Watt’s ‘A Dictionary of the Economic Products of India’, 1889—1893, 6 vols.; a very large amount of information from an enormous literature is digested in this modern account. General information is given on a fairly large number of genera which are potential economic plants for India. Of those genera of which species possessing useful properties (food plants, oils medicines, etc., etc.) are native or cultivated in India each species is cited with pertaining main literature, vernacular names a sketchy description, and extensive information on its useful properties and utilisation, with mention of pertaining sources. Of fairly many species there is either a botanical habit, drawing, photographs of seed, fruit, field habit, a transverse wood section, finished products, flow-sheets, monograms, etc. According to the introduction the accounts of many genera are written by specialists and used by experts, all in India. Under each genus are, besides the main fully treated species, other possessing unimportant uses often briefly quoted. The nomenclature seems to be up to date.