BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 312, 21 September 1918, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

The story of a Cerman Spy. In the course of his book, "Mv Adventures as a German Secret Service Agent" (Casscll awl Co., per S. and W Mackay), Captain llorst von der boltz, who in 191G was arrested in England as a German spy, and who then passed under the name of jjridgmau Taylor, makes the cynical admission that "in my profession scrupulousness must he reserved for use in one's private capacity as a gentleman." How far the author of the hook now published may he relied upon as having told the truth it is, of course, impost sible to say. I should imagine, however, that the story which he now presents the world must he received with some scepticism as to its veraoitv. 'Jlie author tells .us the.most astounding stories of his experiences' in various parts of the world in the character of a German secret agent, but the question Js what amount of credence- can ho placed'in his narrative, which in every chapter displays evidences of the author's colossal self-conceit. To heliovo the worthy Captain von der Goltz, it has been given to him to pull the strings of unite a number of >jftftstcr German schemes for the outwitting and embarrassment of the Allies. He rolls a highly romantic story, quite in the approved style of the omniscient William le Queux, of how ho first entered the service of the Kaiser, how he impersonated a .Russian prince—according to his own account ho is a hitterda'v combined reincarnation of Lecocu Anil Sherlock Holmes so far as disguises and impersonations are concerned—and .how ho went to Switzerland and discovered a plot to assassinate the King of Spain. Next ho turns up in Mexico, and fells us some very extraordinary things about the German attempt to engineer an anti-American alliance between Villa and tho Japanese Government. Thero can bo little doubt that for a time at least lie was in Villa's service, but how far his account of his Mexican adventures can bo believed is quite another matter.

After Mexico, the -United States, where wo find tho resourceful von der Golte acting as aide-de-camp to tho notorious von Papen. The plot to destroy the locks on the AVelland Canal and to prevent Canada sending troops to Europe is described at some length, and then tho scene changes once again, this time to Berlin, where the secret agent duly reports his trans-Atlantic activitios in the noble cause of Kultur to tho Arch-Assassin, being conveyed from Coblentz to the German capital by a specially chartered Zeppelin. Why he-.could not have gone hv train is not explained. He found the Kaiser looking worn and weary.

Tho face, as a rule so majestic in its expression, was drawn and lined, his hair was disarranged und showed bald patches which it ordinarily covered. And his moustache-for so many years the'target of, friend and foc-whioh- was always pointed so arrogantly upwards, drooped down,, and: gave Win a dispirited look lUncli I had never seen him wear before.

According to. the. more or less veracious von der Goltz-tlm Kaiser "viewed. Mexico as the ultima to battlefield of Japan" and Iho United States in the next great,struggle—the.struggle for the mastery of the Paciliic," i'or, so the author, is pleased- to predict, "just as Belgium has been the battlefield of Europe, so must Mexico be the.battleground of America in that war which the future seems to he preparing." Viewed in the light of what is now happening in Eastern Siberia, the above opinion reads rather curiously. It is amusing, also, to read of the spy's wonder "at the tremendous familiarity ho (the Kaiser) displayed with the points of view,'of the peoples and Governments of both Americas"! Von der Golte next went to England with a passport. In London he was recognised by an agent of the Busman Government. According to his own account, the spy took the bold..step of interviewing aii'official of the British Secret Intelligence Department and offering his services to go back to Germany to obtain' certain- valuable information as to Zeppelin raids and.other matters. He was arrested, however, on a charge of .failing to register, and remained in confinement for- fifteen' months, eventually making a confession and being handed over to the American authorities, to whom, always, according to his own account, lie gave some very interesting and valuable information as to. the working of the Teuton plotters in the United States. In his concluding chapters lie describes Germany's "hate campaign" in America and German.schemes iii. Mexico, finally treating his readers t.o a lengthy disquisition on tho spy system 'gene-rally. '.Much of his narrative-, is-of a highly sensational character, and he occasionally throws many new and piquant sidelights on international happenings.. But it is open verv much to doubt' whether ho ever played anything like so prominent a part in the German Secret Service as bo would have us believe. The illustrations are numerous and there are some interesting facsimiles of the forged . passports- and other documents alluded- to in the text. (Price, 7s. (id.) Some Useful Handbooks. "Pasluro Plants and Pastures of New Zealand" is tho latest addition io Whitcombo and Tombs's useful scries of "Noiv Zealand Practical Handbooks." The author, Dr. l<\ \Y. Hilgendorf/M.A., D.Se., who.is biologist to the Canterbury Agricultural College, and is recognised as an expert authority on scientific agriculture, points out in his pro'faco that i:-o other ciop approaches grass in '-importance, and yet, so he declares, in many -parts of flic -Dominion no other crop is so little studied. The author devotes special attention to the'means of recognising the various grasses, as he considers that ability to distinguish the different ] varieties is the surest way to induce a study of their habits and.capabilities. | Or. this study* says Dr. Uilgendorf, depends the solution of the most important of all problems facing the New Zealand farmer, namely—"What is the best grass mixture to sow on my land?" A description of the botanical and agricultural characters of tho coiv.inon pasture grasses is first given, after which follows a description of weiyVind native grasses. '_ After giving a key for the idonlilkation of common grasses, the author discusses the various clovers and other pasture plants, pioviding ill) this cave also a very ingenbns key to J-heir exact feiiiueation. 'J.V.h .Ina! chapter is oevoled to advice on the management of pastures, and on grass mixtures, several valuable tables I'or the composition of tho latter being set forth. The book is, written throughout in a simple and practical style, which should greatly facilitate its sfudv by farmers and beginners in agriculture. .A large number of drawings « the various grasses and plants mentioned in the text enhnive tho value of the essentially practical information and advice imparted by the author. (Price, 2s. fid.) Another volume of tho New Zealand Practical. Handbooks published by Messrs. W'hitcomhc and Tombs is entitled "Vegetable Growing in Now Zea-

land." Trie author, Mr. J. T. S.' - elair, wlio is head gardener to .Mr. A. JO. G, Bliodes, o? To Koralia, Christt'liurcli, is well knowji and much esteemed as an expert authority on tho subject to which lii s hook is'devoted. Tho main purpose of tho hook is to yive, to the owners of small gardens, in a eoudonsed and practical form, reliable information and advice eoneeniiii}; tho best methods and practices for growing the commoner vegetables. Vegetables of purely botanic interest, seldom to be ifound in the ordinary Kitchen garden, have been, purposely omitted. In successive chapters the propagation, preparation of the soil |or planting, cultivation, and harvestI'lg of the more common and hardy vegetables are considered in detail The arrangement of the information being in alphabetical order, reference is easy. Tlie book is primarily intended for tiso by South Island'gardoners. and in view of climatic varwtinns tho author lias consulted other experts in Aclson, VY'estland, Invercargitl, and fJunedin. Tho general information and adyico given in tho book will, allowance being made for earlier season's, bo found applicable to North Island conditions. Tho took is provided with many useful ■illustrations and' diagrams. " (Price Is. (id.).

To Cassell's scries of gardening handbooks (Casscll and Co., per S. and •W. Maekay) has been added a volume on ".(fruit-Growing,.for Amateurs," the author being Mr. H-. H. Thomas, author ol "Tho Gardener." .Information is given on every variety of fruit-growing, from the-humbler berries to the lordly grape. Tho book is most liberally illustrated, and should prove of great service to the amateur fruit-grower. (Price 2s. Gd.). -Messrs. C'assell also forward (through Messrs. S.-and W. Mackay) copies 'of two handy little manuals recently added to tho firm's 'useful work handbooks series. .Tho'first is.entitled "ChickenRearers: How-to Make and Manage Them." The second deals with "Soldering, Brazing, anil Welding." Both volumes are well illustrated. Stray Leaves. Reviews of the- second volume of that important work, "The Crime," and of several novels are held over until next week. Apparently the paper shortago in England is worse than ever, for several publishers announce that' the price of their now novels will now bo Vs. net. Unless "colonial" editions arc issued, or, which has often been done in tho past, the English edition is sent out hero at the same wholesale price as tho "colonials," the local supply of new fiction must soon drop very considerably. I think wc may expect before very long to sea no now novels sold here under os. Just now Now Zealand buyers• (of.novels) are on a better "wicket" than are Old Country novel readers. Arnold. Bennett's "Pretty Lady," for instance, the price of-which in tho Dominion is 'Is. 6d., costs 7s. (net) in London: I understand that there is a great shortage of cardboard with which book covers aro.made, and the price of tho binding cloth has also increased enormously. Before tho.jwor the cost of binding—really it was-merely covering—an ordinary crown- octavo novel was about 4d. To-day it is • nearly three times that amount. It. is sincerely to be hoped we "shall not bo forced to buy paper-covered hooks. However shoddy the "binding" of tlie cloth-covered book, it was immeasurably better than a "paper" hack. English papers by the last mail give particulars of the. sale, at the famous Sotheby's, of the seventh portion of tho great Huth library, the dispersion of which was commenced, lono; before tho war. When I raid-'in "Tho Times" of a copy of that n,uaint old book, "Qnarles's Emblems,." bringing twenty .guineas, I. had a bumn of bibliophilie excitement. I rushed to my shelves, turned up my Quarles', and found it, alas, only a seventh edition I Its value, I should say. is about half-a-crown! So much depends, you see, on tlie date of the edition. Tlie first edition is dated 1635. My copy was not printed'until George the First had come to the throne. There Were somo big prices at tho Jluth sah-, Caxton's "Royal.Book," published about 1487, bringing the huge amount of £1800. Probably it. is now in America. Tho late Mr. Alex. H. Turnbull bought, I know, several books from tho earlier Huth sales, including, L believe, some .valuable Milton items. Mr. Turn bull was a. great collector of early editions of Milton and books about that great poet. There must be some two hundred books in the . Turnbull library which come under the category of Miltoniana.

A book which should be grcatlv esteemed by all who are interested in the collection, of military medals is "The A.B.C. of War Medals and •Decorations.',' which Stanley Paul has just published. The 2G4* illustrations include the latest medals issued for the present war.

. A\o are. to have very-shortly a new collection.of short stories bv that everpopular writer, Sir Arthur Couan D.ovle, Iho collection includes several hitherto unpublished stories, also a reprint ofthe story called . "Danger," which, written, long before the war, ■ foretold the importance and danger U> 'iireat Britain of the possibilities of submarine warfare.

That eminent French litterateur and publicist, Mr. Leon Uatlifol, has written a honk dealing with the old Alsatian republics. Tie claims to have established the fact that Alsace through the. ages has been inhabited not by a Germanic and jnoiiarchial people, but by a republican population having. . the closest nihility with the French' race. The Alsatians, though speaking a Germanic dialect, are, he maintains, Celts, and. Celts they have remained throughout the centuries.

The new Comploin Mackenzie novel, "The Early Career of Sylvia Scarlett,'' was in have boon published in London thcMveekaft'er the last mail left-England. Those who remember the second volume of "Sinister Street" -will be envious to see how Mr. Mackenzie, iw.s described the r-;i!iitkm of such an extraordinary character as that of the young lad,;- who plays so prominent a part in the earlier novel. Tlioro is some grim cynicism in flic soldier-poet Siegfried Bassoon's latest hook of verso. "Counter-Attack and Other Poems," as witness the follow-ing-lines from a, poem cnlit.'ed "The General" : "Good morning; good morning!" the General said When we met him last week on our way to lhc line. Now (he Eoldierß lie smiled at are most of 'cm dead, And we're cursing his stall' for incompetent swine. "He's iv cheery old card," grunted llarry to Jack. As they slopped up lo Arras with rillc and pack. lint Jio did For'lhc'm i'milli' by' his r-I.in of attack. The vision of that "hell \ where youth' and laughter go" lias, says "The Times" reviewer, been branded upon him too deeply lo allow him to kiloralo- ennsolaiion .-or explanation. Ho can only .slate- a lill-le ol' what- ho

lias soon, a vory lit tit' one giinsst's, ami turn away willi a sloieal slung as' if a superlieial cyiiioisni were iho hosL mask to woiir in llu> face of snoli iiu-rt'di'ilo oxperienc'i's.