176 



THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



single row of small quadrilateral cells 

 with small cavities and resembling epi- 

 dermal cells. Then there is a depth of 

 from eight to ten cells, in two layers, all 

 filled with reddish-brown resin. The 

 outer layer is composed of from five to 

 seven cells which have lignified and 

 pitted, though not much thickened walls. 

 In transverse section these are isodia- 

 metric at the raphe, but throughout the 

 rest of the testa they are elongated 

 around the seed. In longitudinal section 

 the first-named are elongated and the 

 latter isodiametric. The inner layer con- 

 sists of angular cells three or four deep, 

 non-lignified, smaller and not much 

 elongated. Towards raphe and includ- 

 ing it the testa becomes very thick and 

 contains many scattered pitted scleren- 

 chyma cells. In this portion is a long 

 narrow opening completely surrounded 

 by fhe elements of fibro- vascular bundles, 

 there being on longitudinal section many 

 long narrow spirals and wood cells. A 

 transverse section near the apex of the 

 seed shows cells much thickened, ir- 

 regularly squeezed together and nearly 

 isodiametric. 



The Tegmen forms a distinct layer of 

 about two cells wide. A cross section 

 shows narrow and elongated thick-w< ailed 

 cells. In longitudinal section they ap- 

 pear isodiametric. All are filled with 

 proteid matter. The albumen composes 

 the perisperm, which is many times as 

 large as the embryo. In a section cut 

 transversely at embrj^o there is a central 

 linear opening which extends from the 

 tegmen about half way across the seed, 

 on side from embryo, and from this 

 radiate thick-walled, broadly and deeply 

 pitted mucilaginous cells. Near the raphe 

 these are isodiametric, but towards the 

 dorsal side of the seed they are much 

 elongated radially and near the tegmen 

 become non-pitted sclerenchyma or col- 

 lenchyma. All the cells of the perisperm 



are filled with proteid matter, exhibiting 

 some fat and oil. 



The Embryo consists of very small 

 parenchymatic cells. 



The investigation was carried on with 

 the aid of a Zeiss microscope using three 

 objectives and an oil immersion lens, and 

 oculars ranging from y 2 to 2 inches focus. 



The following stains and reagents were 



used; 



Coraline, Iodine & KI, 



Iodine-green, Iodine & Sulphuric acid. 



Lithium carmine, Hydrochloric acid, 

 Eosin, Hydrochloric & Phloro- 



glucin, 

 Haematoxylin, Absolute alcohol, 



Fuchsin, Potassa, 



Alkanna, Chloriodide of zinc, 



Sulphuric acid of different 

 strengths. 



Fehling's test for sugar. 



All mounts were made in water, glyc- 

 erin or glycerin-jelly. 



PHARMACY. 



Having been requested to pass my 

 judgment on the comparative value of 

 samples of artificial and sun-dried Saw- 

 Palmetto berries, I found it necessary in 

 the course of my experiments, to make a 

 general qualitative examination of their 

 constituents. Since I began my experi- 

 ments, Mr. C. C. Sherrard, Ph. G., has 

 published results of his examination of 

 the same, in the Proceedings of the 

 Am. Phar. Assn. for 1894. Inasmuch 

 as my views and results differ essentially 

 from those of Mr. Sherrard, I take occa- 

 sion to publish these preliminary results, 

 which will be followed by a more thor- 

 ough examination as soon as time per- 

 mits. In the proximate analysis ot these 

 berries previous drying and powdering 

 should by all means be avoided, in order 

 to avoid loss and alteration of sensitive 

 principles. The berries selected had 

 been simply air-dried and then reduced 

 to a pulp, removing the hard seeds, 

 which were subsequently reduced to a 

 coarse powder. 



A quantity of the crushed berries were 



