42 SELECTED NOTES FROM 



BOTANICAL. 



Vital Absorption in Plants.— I have in my possession 

 sections taken from a piece of Larch sent me by Mr. Hyett, 

 F.R.S., of Painswick. The wood is coloured by a process called 

 Vital Absorption, first tried by Dr. Boucherie about 1839, with 

 a view of testing the effects of different solutions on the dura- 

 bility of wood. Several different things were used. The tree 

 from which the piece under notice was cut was first treated with a 

 Solution of Sulphate of Iron, and then Ferro-Cyanide of 

 Potassium. A hole was bored in the tree (while growing), just 

 at the off-shoots of the roots ; then a saw was run through to 

 divide the tree on each side of the hole, leaving sufficient uncut 

 for its support. A bed of clay was made round, and the 

 Solution of Iron first poured in ; after two or three days, it was 

 replaced with the Solution of Ferro-Cyanide ; absorption took 

 place, and the chemical change followed in the tissues, forming, 

 as is seen in my sections, Prussian Blue. This is interesting 

 physiologically, and also to the microscopist, as showing the 

 colouration of the structure ; the most dense being only slightly 

 stained, or not at all, and the medullary rays and vascular tissue 

 more so. I have examined other woods, such as Beech and Elm, 

 that have been coloured with sulphate of Iron only, but fail to 

 detect any crystals. In the specimen referred to, the colouring 

 matter is in the state of an amorphous deposit, an aggregation of 

 which may be seen in places. The late Mr. W. H. Hyett 

 experimented very largely on the effects of different solutions, and 

 their varying effects on different trees. The softer woods were 

 not the only ones experimented on, and, if my memory serves 

 me, he took out a patent for the process. I think he satisfied 

 himself that no useful result would be gained, as the staining was 

 not uniform, and certain parts of the tree, such as the 

 " medullary rays," took the colour better than the woody tissue. 



The staircase of Painswick House is inlaid with the several 

 woods experimented upon, in parqueterie work, and the appear- 

 ance is pleasing. 



Dr. Partridge and Col. Basevi. 



The structure of the fruit in some species of the Palm bears 

 a kind of resemblance to that of bone : — that of the Date-Palm 

 is not unlike the dentine of teeth. It consists of long oval cells 

 with a central cavity, from which ramify canaliculi towards the 

 cell-wall. In many of these cell-cavities are crystals, which 



