1252 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



endeavor to view plants, in all their phases, giving the student the opportunity to 

 acquaint himself with the essentials of plant structure, physiology and ecology. 

 The work is begun with familiar plants and is carried on through all of the 

 groups of spermatophytes, and thallophytes.- A significant feature of the course 

 lies in the fact that those subjects, which may be found sufficiently treated in the 

 numerous text-books and laboratory guides in prevalent use, are treated of only 

 briefly ; the time being spent on those subjects which are not so satisfactorally 

 presented to the student through the literature within his reach. 



Another point, in which the course is especially advantageous for young 

 pupils, is that emphasis is placed upon the study, first of all, of the fruit rather than 

 the seed, thus obviating the difficulties which present themselves in the study of 

 some seeds. The fruit is studied in different stages in order to impart to the 

 student the idea of development rather than a statical conception of the matter 

 in hand. 



Attention is paid to foods in plants, to digestion and to absorption, the 

 method being physiological rather than microscopical. 



Especial attention is devoted to the problem of digestion, in which the essen- 

 tial similarity of plants and animals is brought into prominence. In this con- 

 nection the writer recommends the cocoanut and the date, as most valuable 

 material for demonstrating the morphological facts involved. 



The subject of sexual reproduction, although not neglected, is deemed less 

 profitable for young students than the study of the vegetative body and the more 

 readily observable phenomena of adaptation. However, it is found that the essen- 

 tials of the subject may be clearly brought out in a study of such forms as Spiro- 

 gyra and Vaucheria. In the study of seed plants in this connection, somewhat 

 more attention is paid to details, and the important morphological facts involved 

 are demonstrated by means of charts and preparations. At this time also is 

 demonstrated the phanerogamic embryo in earlier and later stages of develop- 

 ment, and so the study of the life cycle, which was commenced in the study of 

 the fruit, is rounded out to completion. 



Like the outline for the work in zoology, the course in botany is outlined in 

 detail. Of this outline only the headings can be given here : 



I. The Structure and Physiology of Plants. 



1. The Lima Bean, 

 (a) fruit; (/») seed. 



2. T/ie Indian Com. 



{a) fruit ; {b) embryo. 



3. Tlie Castor Oil Planf. 

 (a) fruit ; (/') seed. 



4. T/ie Pine. 



5. Studies in Germination. 



(a) absorption of water; (/>) rupture of seed coats ; (r) manner in which 

 seedlings break through the ground : epicotyl (pea), hypocotyl (castor 

 oil), cotyledon (onion) ; (ci) development of organs in embryo ; (e) 

 behavior of cotyledons during germination ; (y) earlier leaves com- 



