Death from Low Temperature and Resistance of Plants to Cold

IN THE last few decades, as is well known, the problems of death from cold and winter hardiness have attracted much attention in modern plant industry. This has especially been the case since the origin of new varieties by plant breeding and the introduction of new varieties from foreign countries got in full swing. It, therefore, seems appropriate that, when a review of all problems of this kind appeared, it should come from the hand of a plant breeder. Recently Doctor A. Akerman of the Svalof Plant Breeding Station in Sweden has published a detailed report of more than ten years work along this line and at the same time has given a thorough and critical review of all questions concerned (z). It is at present, no doubt, the best and most encyclopaedic treatise on the topic available. On the basis of this book I shall give below a short statement of the present day status of this field of the biological sciences.