FLOWERS AND TREES OF PALESTINE.
Flowers and Trees of Palestine. By Augusta A. Temple. (Elliot Stock. Os. net.)—Miss Temple has had predecessors in the task which she has undertaken; but her volume, which is systematic, carefully put together, and illustrated with photographs taken by the author, is not by any means superfluous. The first chapter is given to "Characteristio Flowers of Palestine"; the second to "Thorny Plants " ; the third, which is peculiarly interesting, to " Tropical and Alpine Plants." The tropical plants are found in various fertile spots in the Dead Sea region, where the deep depression, as much as 1,300 feet, produces a suitable climate. One plant, the indigo, in two species (argentea and tinetoria), is cultivated on the eastern shore of the Sea. The Alpine plants are found on Hermon and Lebanon, which have respectively an altitude of 9,200 and 10,225 feet. Chap. 4 treats of trees, among which the date-palm (which, however, has dis- appeared from some localities connected with it, as Jericho), olive, vine, fig, pomegranate, terebinth, oak, cedar, and almond are perhaps the most conspicuous. The apple of the Bible is the quince or the citron. Miss Temple gives a list, with botanic names and brief description. This must contain, if we reckon all the species, not far from two thousand names.
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