593 
becomes united as firmly as a natural branch toits parent stem. Indeed, 
the parisite lives just as if it were a branch of the tree on which it 
grows and feeds. 
Botanists represent that the green bark of plants is furnished with 
breathing pores as well as the under surface of the leaves, and in some 
cases the upper surface. In this case I determined to ascertain their 
relative number on the green bark and leaves of the orange-plant. 
With this object in view a portion of the bark was removed with a sharp 
knife, and treated with hot caustic potash, after which the epidermis was 
easily removed. When mounted and viewed with a power of about 100 dia- 
_ meters the numerous pores were seen and could be counted. <A portion 
of the skin no larger than a fly-spot contained about twelve of these 
breathing pores. I next experimented with the orange-leaf to ascer- 
tain the true character of its upper and under surfaces. <A leaf was 
placed in a strong solution of nitro-muriatic acid, which bleached it 
slightly and rendered it somewhat transparent by oxidation, without 
softening the albuminoids which bind the surfaces together. . The next 
step was to wash the leaf in water to free it from acids. With a cir- 
cular steel punch a portion of the leaf was cut out and placed for a few 
minutes in a capsule containing a strong solution of chlorinated soda, 
after which it was placed in pure’ water when the epidermis of the 
under surface of the leaf floated off. I floated the disc thus removed 
on to a microscopic slide, using a camel-hair brush to assist in the ma- 
nipulation, and mounted it with gum and disc in the usual way. The 
surface was found to be almost destitute of cellular structure. The 
stomates are best seen under a power of about 600 diameters. (See 
Fig. 2.) The green bark and under-surtace of the leaves contain about 
64,000 of these pores to the square inch of surface. The thick dise 
should be floated on to glass as above, and its superfluous moisture re- 
moved with clean blotting-paper. Its exposed surface should be placed 
face downward. With a point the epidermis may be removed, which 
place in water and float on to a glass slide as before described. It will 
represent the upper surface of the leaf. On examination with the mi- 
croscope it-exhibits cellular structure only and seems to be wholly des- 
titute of stomates. (See Fig. 3.) The fleshy portion on the third slide 
should have a drop of thick gum placed on it and be covered with a 
glass disc. When viewed under a high power it becomes an object of 
much interest. The branching vascular bundles will be distinctly seen, 
resembling in some respects the arteries and veins of the human body. 
A careful examination will show that these are also covered with a very 
fine lace-work of cells under and over them, and interspersed among 
the latter will be seen a vast assemblage of translucent dottings, each 
having an opening across it corresponding to those of the stomates 
under which they were situated before dissection. The structure of the 
leaf taken as a whole indicates the great necessity of cleanliness and 
high culture; for the more complicated the organic structure of the 
plant is, the greater will be the number of its economic products, and 
the more apt are abortions in the form of fruit to be produced in the 
case of neglected culture or unfavorable climatic conditions. In plants 
there are ‘“ milk-vessels, turpentine, oil-receptacles, and the like, which 
form canals or cavities between or among the cells and are filled with the 
particular product of the plant.” Not so with the lower forms of fungi. 
Their roots may grow in profusion, although frequently torn to pieces, 
because of their simple form of structure and habits. A single cell of 
mycelium will germinate, bud, or reproduce its kind as perfectly as will 
a spore of its fruit. In this case the lower forms of fungi have a decided 
