--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 15 number: 4 published: 1912-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Out of Doors in the West," *Improvement Era* 15, no. 4 (February 1912): 379.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1504unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1504unse start_page: 379 end_page: 379 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1912-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1504unse publication_year: 1912 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1912, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Out of Doors in the West Out of Doors in the West. Everyone who has attempted to teach elementary general science in the west has found the great need of a text book dealing with western conditions. If it is botany one is teaching, one finds that most of the text books available deal with plant life unknown to the Great Plateau region. If it is zoology one is teaching, one finds, again, that the text books deal, in the main, with animal life native to other regions than that of the Great Plateau. Or if it is physical geography one is teaching, one finds that the text books deal with conditions of mountains, of valleys, of plains, of rivers, not commonly met with in the Rocky Mountain west. For a long time, therefore, it has been hoped that there would soon arise a man who would write a text book for classes in elementary general science, adapted to the conditions of our own west. As if in fulfilment of the teacher's wish, there comes now from the press of the Skelton Publishing Company, a book entitled "Out of Doors in the West." It is described on the title page as "Notes on Common Plants, Birds, and Insects of the Rocky Mountain Plateau." Part one, the volume now in hand, deals with "Sketches through Autumn and Winter." A second part, dealing with "Sketches through Spring and Summer," is promised. This extremely interesting and timely book is written by Dr. J. H. Paul, Professor of Nature Study in the University of Utah. As the title page indicates, the book is a selection of notes on Rocky Mountain plant and animal life. It cannot, therefore, possess the unity of structure that we should look for in a production wherein every succeeding step depends upon the preceding step. But the notes are well selected. They are well written, in an interesting and easy style. The book is profusely illustrated, with cuts and beautiful colored plates. It cannot but be both entertaining and instructive to both young and old. Moreover, the book is full of scientific matter in small type, to satisfy the demands of the student and teacher, who wants to know more of the common plants, birds, and insects, considered in the book. It is with sincere pleasure and appreciation that we recommend this addition to our home literature. Its value to the teacher in the grades, and in the secondary schools, can hardly be overestimated. Besides, the book can be read .with interestby the general reader. We commend Dr. Paul's efforts, and shall look forward with joyful anticipation for the coming of the second part. At the book stores, price $1.50.