SEEING BY AID OE THE LENS 



307 



ftYAID 

 THE LENS 



Edited b 



V. Latham 1644 Morse Avenue, Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois 



To Our Readers : 



It seems as if the time has come for 

 an expression of opinion from our kind- 

 ly readers of this little pioneer maga- 

 zine. What is it you wish to ask about 

 in these columns consistent with its 

 objects for study? Our aim is to help 

 and encourage bona fide workers, to 

 bring together friendly discussions, to 

 ofier exchanges in material, a medium 

 of exchange in pamphlets, journals, 

 books, instruments and ideas, and not 

 to overlook the tyro, neither to be too 

 elementary for the research worker. 

 Will you, Reader, kindly put a few 

 ideas together and give us your encour- 

 agement — your help, both mentally and 

 financially? Speak a word to your 

 friends and let us in the old spirit of 

 good comradeship "get together" so 

 our friends can find us, with the latch- 

 string ready and a cheery welcome in 

 this New Year. 



To many it is a season of sadness. 

 Who has not friends in this world-wide 

 calamity of war? No matter on what 

 side they be, their sorrows are ours. To 

 one and all we pray God it will soon 

 end, and out of all trouble may a clear 

 sky come bringing higher thoughts and 

 ideals with the calm serenity of Peace 

 for All-time! 



To Clean Glassware. 



Take equal parts of a six per cent 

 solution of sodium hydroxid, and a 

 two per cent solution of calcium car- 

 bonate. Boil slides and covers in this 

 mixture for one minute. Rinse in cold 

 water and wipe. (Abe H. Kapman. 

 Journal American Medical Association, 

 Jan. 9, 191 5. P. 168.) 



Wonders of a Pool. 



After long confinement to the house, 

 whether from illness or an unusual 

 pressure of engagements, how delight- 

 tul to turn out for a stroll m the iresh 

 pure air! Unheeded whether it snow, 

 rain or shine, if a naturalist of a true 

 siamp, all around seems to welcome 

 him, and care and trouble for the time 

 fly far away. It was early in the morn- 

 ing, recently, that, in urgent neea for 

 a breath of fresh air, we started tor 

 a walk. Rain had fallen heavily during 

 the night, and the air was reeking with 

 moisture. 



One trouble was present : What 

 shall I say to the readers of The; Guide 

 to Nature?" What will interest 

 many of them — some like one and some 

 another topic? So on in a meditative 

 mood we walked, till our thoughts 

 turned to the teeming abundance of the 

 lower orders of vegetable life, and the 

 important part they play in the grand 

 scheme of life on our globe. So after a 

 long thought I ventured to say, "Even 

 winter is no drawback to our pool, 

 ditch or pond. Break the ice, take 

 home a jar full of vegetation, mud 

 scraped off the bottom ; put it in a 

 north light and not too sudden change 

 of temperature, keep it covered, turn 

 it around, and if growth begins by a 

 brown or greenish scum on the sides 

 remove to a darker spot or paste a 

 sheet of brown paper on half of. the 

 jar and watch for results. Objects be- 

 gin to hatch in all directions. You 

 can study all you want for many even- 

 ings, and don't forget the old and 

 young are glad to drop in and see 

 "them there pesky bugs. My, look at 

 that worm. Joe! Look quick: say it's 

 gone! What was it. Mister?" Now 

 comes a job for you to explain the 



