136 THE MICKOSOOPE. [June, 



and with your micrometer actually measure the magnification 

 obtained and report tiic result? Mounting the frustule in a high 

 refracting medium would not enable you to see any more lines 

 than 250 to the inch." 



We think " Amateur" to have probably been in error about 

 the number of his eye-piece, but shall be pleased to hear from him. 

 And as he was praising a particular objective, we think it shows 

 the dangers of trying to discriminate in print in favor of some 

 particuhu- manufacturer. This periodical does not print mucli 

 of that sort of thing. All reputable manufacturers should receive 

 from us practical!}' the same treatment. 



QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 



Questions of all sorts relathig to tnicroscopy vill be rrcciz>ed by tlie publisher and re/erred 

 to Dr. S. G. Shanks, oy Albany, N. y.,ivhose 7 eplies lui.l be given in this departtitent. Each 

 question is numbered Jor /uture 7 e/e^ence. 



31. I have some parts of plants in glycerine^ water ^ and 

 spirits. Please iitdicate the steps how / shall proceed to cut 

 sections^ bleach a??d stain the7?i. What text-book is good for 

 practical botanical sections ? 



Soak the specimens in water to remove the glycerine, harden 

 them in good alcohol, cut with the razor flooded with alcohol 

 and water, bleach them (if they require it) in Labarraque's solution 

 of chlorinated soda, or in a weak solution of chlorinated lime 

 (two to twelve hours are required), wash in w^ater changed 

 several times, then soak in a pint of water containing ten drops 

 of nitric acid, to neutralize the alkali, to alcohol, stain, wash 

 again in water, in good alcohol to dehydrate, clove oil, finally 

 in balsam. A good, full article on bleaching and staining can be 

 found in the A7n. Mo. Alic. Journal^ vol. VII, page 43. 



vStrasburger's Vegetable Histology, translated by Hervey, 

 published by Cassino, Boston, is a good text book on vegetable 

 elements. 



32. Trichina. What is the best stain and mounting medium 

 for flesh co?itai?iing trichijia ? — H. ]\I. Whelpley. 



Use an ordinary carmine stain and mount in balsam. The 

 muscle takes the stain and the trichina remain unstained and well 

 differentiated. 



33. I have some pathological jnaterial in glycerine. How 

 shall I prepare it for cutting a?zd stai?iing ? 



Pathological material preserved in glycerine will be too soft to 

 be satisfactorilv cut. Soak in water to remove glycerine, place 



