REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS.

THE EARTHLY PARADISE. A Poem. By William
Morris. Author of "The Life and Death of Jason." Part III. Boston: Roberts 'Brothers. Chicago: Cobb, Pritchard & Co.

The productions of this author are unlike
those of any poet, either living or dead. We
miss in them the fire of Byron, the earnestness
of Whittier or the imagery of Moore. They are
studied productions, and they need to be studied rather than read. The Earthly Paradise
consists for the most part of legends derived
from the classical literature, with some stories
belonging to a later period. The style is at once
beautiful and simple, the measure graceful and
melodious. In reading it one seems to recall
the old dreams of childhood, or, rather, to dream
them over again. The author will never become the poet of the people, though he seems
surely destined to be a favorite with persons of broad culture and high literary attainments.

HOW CROPS FEED. By Samuel W. Johnson, M. A.
New York: Orange, Judd & Co. Chicago: THE
PRAIRIE FARMER CO.
This work is "the companion and complement" of " How Crops Grow," by the same author. Having read the first book with great
interest and profit, we anxiously awaited the
appearance of the second in the series. As to
its merits our expectations were raised to the
highest pitch. After a hasty reading, we are
not so highly pleased with this as with the first
book.

The author avoids high-sounding terms, but
tells what he attempts to in a manner which is
easily understood, a characteristic of a true
teacher. He has looked over all the cumbrous
volumes on the subject, read up to the times,
condensed and sifted, added his own rich experience, and has given in this neat volume the
pith of the whole subject. The large number
of experiments here mentioned, add largely to
the value of the work, as they make it practical
and show the student how the results have
been attained.

The book will not be attractive for popular
reading, but will be very instructive to the student of agriculture who has an elementary
knowledge of chemistry and botany. No intelligent farmer can afford to be without it. It
touches upon geology in speaking of the origin,
formation and classification of soils:
"A multitude of observations has demonstrated that from ninety-five to ninety-nine per cent.
of the entire mass (weight) of agricultural
plants is derived directly or indirectly from the
atmosphere." After knowing this it sems very
wonderful what results are produced by adding
to the acre a few pounds of gypsum, superphilosphate, or guano, or a few loads from the
peat swamp or barn-yard. How Crops Feed
solves some of these mysteries.

We like the the following from page 104:

"For the husbandman the soil has this para-
mount importance, that it is the home of the
roots of his crops and the exclusive theater of
his labors in promoting their growth. Through
it alone can he influence the amount of vegetable production, for the atmosphere and the
light and heat of the sun are altogether beyond
his control. Agriculture is the culture of the
field. The value of the field lies in the quality
of its soil. No study can have a grander material significance than the one which gives us a
knowledge of the causes of fertility and barrenness, a knowledge of the means of economizing the one and overcoming the other, a knowledge of those natural laws which enable the farmer so to modify and manage his soil that all the deficiencies of the atmosphere or the vicissitudes of climate cannot deprive him of suitable reward for his exertions.

" The atmosphere and extra terrestrial influences that effect the growth of plants, are indeed in themselves beyond our control. We cannot modify them in kind or amount; but we can influence their subserviency to our purposes through the medium of the soil by a
proper understanding of the characters of the
latter."

In these paragraphs we think he has rather
under-estimated the influence of man upon the
elements. The writings of Dana, Marsh, Lapham and others have shown that men can
modify and control to a certain extent the
winds, temperature and humidity of the atmosphere. This is done by regulating the amount of the forests.
W. J. B.