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STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In many of our water plants, as the white water lily, and Xelumbium or pink 

 lily of the Nile, we find many parallel fibres, bound together as one band. The 

 number varies in the Nelumbium from fifteen to twenty-four as they contin- 

 tinually branch. 



One can see the vessels of either of the above plants by breaking the leaf 

 stem and pulling it apart. They appear like fine spider webs somewhat 

 crumpled. 



We often find vessels in which the bands are in mere rings, a short distance 

 apart. One often finds both spiral and annular vessels, as the latter are called, 

 in the same vessel. 



The reticulated vessels have a greater development of cellulose and the 

 markings are very irregular, being all the way from elongated proportions extend- 

 ing half way around the vessel, to mere dots, with no order whatever as to 

 their distribution. These are due to an over-development, while the ringed 

 and spiral vessels are due to under-development of the cell walls. 



The dotted vessels are similar in appearance to some parts of reticulated, 

 except that the cells are very much shorter and thicker. 



The scalariform, meaning ladder form, vessels are prismatic tubes of three 

 to six sides, and taper to a point at both ends. Each side is marked with very 

 regular lines of perforations, much resembling the rounds of a ladder. These 

 are found in the fern stems, of many shapes and markings. 



The vessels are found in leaves and stems of all flowering plants, and make 

 a very interesting study for the compound microscope. 



They may be separated from the surrounding mass by boiling thin slices for 

 a few. moments in nitric acid and potas- 

 sium chlorate. Let them stand a day or 

 so, in cold water, and they may be easily 

 separated with needle and forceps. If 

 colored with red aniline, they may be 

 studied to much better advantage. 



In figure 12 may be seen various forms 

 of ducts, or vessels. 1, a spiral vessel 

 of ten parallel threads. 2, a sjfiral ves- 

 sel of one thread. 3, a spiral vessel with 

 two threads running in opposite direc- 

 tions. 4, annular vessels. 5, a pitted 

 vessel. 6, one end of a scalariform, or 

 ladder vessel. 



Dr. Beal : The next speaker will have something to say about cotton, two 

 sorts of flax, and something about silk and wool. The one to address you is 



Miss C. L. Harrison : Cotton, during the growing state, consists of hollow 

 tubes, and sometimes becomes about two inches long. As it ripens the tubes 

 collapse and twist like a ribbon or band. 



Linen is made from the fibers of the inside bark of flax stems. To get these 

 fibers free from the rest of the bark the whole stem is allowed to rot, and as 

 these fibers are very tough they are not affected as soon as the chlorophyll-bear- 

 ing cells, which are easily shaken out. The fibers are then prepared for use 

 by bleaching with some chemicals. These fibers are about an eighth of an 

 inch long, tapering at both ends, which overlap each other in the bark. These 

 also have a small hole through the center and have very feeble marks. 



Silk is drawn out like a wire from a mass of wax or jelly-like matter. The 

 thread is solid and varies in size. 



Fig. 12. 



