2242 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



Strasburger, Ed. Das botamsche Practuum. This book will be welcomed by all 

 Fourth edition; 8vo, pp., L+ 771, 230 figs, botanists who are able to read Ger- 

 Gustav Fischer, Jena, 1S92. Price, 20 marks. 



man. It seems safe to say that no 



botanical text-book of modern times is more fully abreast with the present state 

 of knowledge. While the new edition preserves the general arrangement and 

 sequence of subjects which have proved satisfactory in the previous editions, 

 each subject has been carefully revised and brought up to date, even the latest 

 investigations upon protoplasmic connections receiving attention. The latest 

 methods in technique are also presented. 



The indices are more extensive than in any of the previous editions, occu- 

 pying 145 pages. The following are the five indices : 



I. Ah alphabetical index of the plants which are used as illustrative 

 material. 

 II. A list of plants used as illustrative material arranged with reference 

 to the time of year at which they should be collected. 



III. A list of stains and reagents. 



IV. Reagents, stains, plant substances, embedding media, sealing 



media ; chemical exercises ; instrdments, apparatus and their 

 use ; making of preparations ; physical exercises. 

 V. General index. 

 The first two indices will be suggestive and helpful to those who have the 

 responsibility of keeping laboratories supplied with illustrative material. The 

 fourth index is so full that in very many cases it will hardly be necessary, 

 especially for the well informed teacher, to look up the reference to the body of 

 the book. 



This book is not to be confused with the Handbook of Practical Botany by 

 Dr. E. Strasburger, which is the fifth English edition of a translation by Hill- 

 house of an earlier edition of Das Kleine botanische Practicum. Some of the 

 defects of this English edition, which bears Prof. Strasburger's name, although 

 in many cases it does not represent his views, have been noted in the May (1902) 

 number of the Journal. c. j. c. 



Murbeck, Sv. Ueber die Embryologie von Material of this decidedly hydrophytic 

 Ritppia rostellata Koch. Kongl. Svenska. \ -^ . 



Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar, 36: plant was fixed m Flemmmg S solution 

 1-21, pis. 1-3, 1902. aj^jj ^]gQ \^ Keiser's corrosive subli- 



mate-acetic acid solution. The former, followed by safranin and gentian violet, 

 proved to be better for stages up to fertilization, while Keiser's formula, followed 

 by fuchsin and iodine green, gave better preparations for the study of the 

 embryo. 



Daring the development of the microspores, the tapetal cells break down and 

 their nuclei float free in the cavity of the microsporangium. The formation of 

 two definite male cells within the irregularly elongated pollen grain was traced 

 in detail. A tapetal cell is formed and the megaspore mother cell gives rise to 

 four megaspores, not arranged in a row, but the two lower spores lying one 

 above the other, and the two upper ones lying side by side or somewhat 

 obliquely. The arrangement was observed in numerous instances. In one ex- 



