266 THE MICROSCOPICAL NEWS. 
GINGER BEER PLant.—In reply to a query in the Exchange 
Mart and Bazaar, a correspondent sends the following :—There is 
such a plant in existence. It is not necessary that a plant should 
consist of root, stem, and leaves, for the ginger beer plant does not 
possess any one of these organs, it is entirely cellular. The brewers’ 
yeast is admitted by botanists to be a plant, but the ginger beer 
plant is of a higher organisation than that. It is difficult to say if 
it is an alga or a fungus. (I can find no mention of it in any 
botanical text book.) Like the alge it grows in water, and it re- 
sembles the fungi by the absence of chlorophyll; in appearance it 
resembles soaked rice. The plant must be put in a bottle filled 
with water to about the narrow part, together with a small quantity 
of sugar, on which the plant feeds. The quantity of sugar depends 
on the quantity of the plants and the size of the bottle; a little 
ginger must also be added for flavouring. The plant obtains its 
carbon from the dissolved sugar, and also a portion of its oxygen ; 
oxygen may also be taken from the water. By the taking up of 
oxygen, organic matter is oxidised, and carbonic acid is given off, 
which is the exhilarating portion of ginger beer. Should your cor- 
respondent require a small quantity of the plant (for my stock is 
very limited), I shall be pleased to supply it, together with instruc- 
tions for its growth and management.—Boranist. [We hope to 
be able to give a description of this plant in our next number.— 
Ep. | 
CoLe’s Stupres.—The first volume of this work gave abundant 
satisfaction to all subscribers, but judging from the opinions we 
have received this can scarcely be the case with Volume IL. 
Mr. Cole has explained how this has come about, in a circular 
issued to his subscribers, and after stating that he has had to make 
“fresh arrangements” in order to secure justice to them, he gives 
notice that “the next number of the AZethods of Research will be 
published on October 20th, and the next number of the Popular 
Section on Oct. 27¢h, with slide and plate, and thereafter, monthly, 
each Section will be issued with the same regularity which was 
observed in the publication of Vol. I.; the list of subjects and 
preparations, as detailed in the prospectus, being strictly adhered 
to, and Volume II. may be expected to prove, in all respects, an 
advance upon its predecessor ; but, in order to secure this desirable 
result, and under the circumstances I have explained to you, and 
in the interests of the subscribers, I have, most unwillingly, after 
mature deliberation and taking advice, come to the conclusion 
that the postponement of the publication of the next Number in 
each Section is an absolute necessity.” 
We wish Mr. Cole every success in his efforts to provide for a 
continuance of the good work, such as Vol. I. proved itself to be. 
