THE MICROSCOPE. 183 



tions of the simple close spiral ; but this must be understood only 

 in a metaphorical sense, since there is no actual change of condi- 

 tion ensuing with age, as has been assumed by some authors, the 

 fibrous layers being always originally deposited on the primary 

 wall in the form and pattern which they ultimately possess. 

 There appears to be no real openings of the spirals or breaking 

 up into rings, in consequence of the expansion of the primary 

 wall to which they are attached " {Ibid., p. 638). It is probable the 

 question will never be definitely settled till they have been 

 actually witnessed as being laid down, under high powers of the 

 microscope. 



Lord Godolphin Osborne paid special attention to the subject, 

 attempting by growing wheat in shallow glass tanks to view the 

 process. Some of these tanks were sufficiently shallow to allow 

 of the use of the |- inch object-glass ; in them was placed a weak 

 solution of ammoniacal carmine. He succeeded in viewing the 

 formation of pitted tissues, but that of the spiral vessels com- 

 pletely baffled him. He says : — " In the leaf of the wheat I find 

 the true spiral — the annular, the scalariform ; in the roots I find 

 only the latter, with an accompaniment of dotted tissue. At the 

 very earliest stage at which, by dissection, a view can be obtained 

 of leaf and root formation, the fibres proper to each are dis- 

 covered — the spiral completely formed, the scalariform in active 

 formation, the former turning upwards to the leaves, the latter 

 separating into bundles and going downwards to the roots. The 

 formation of the scalariform fibre can be with ease traced " (p. 11). 

 There can be no doubt a thorough study of pitted and spiral 

 structures, as a system, would yield most interesting material. 

 And I hope to be excused for quoting one of the concluding 

 remarks of the paper alluded to : — " In my opinion, no student of 

 animal physiology can pursue this course of research without 

 being struck with the very strong analogy existing between the 

 development of vegetable and animal structure. I will not trust 

 myself to enter into this subject further than to declare that every 

 day's work on vegetable structure has given to me a new interest 

 in every page which I read relating to the structure of animals. I 

 cannot but think we are approaching a time when the microscope, 

 in the hands of men of science, will prove in these two fields of 

 God's wonder-working, the existence of a strictly analogous prin- 

 ciple, developing and sustaining animal and vegetable life, with 

 only that much of difference in the processes which the obvious 

 purposes of the two existences would lead one to expect" (p. 120, 

 Q.J. M.S. transactions, Vol. V., 1857). — "Vegetable cell structure 

 and its formation, as seen in the early stages of the growth of the 

 wheat plant," by the Hon. and Rev. Sydney Godolpin Osborne. 



Section of Yew. — This being a transverse section only tells 



