12 THE MICROSCOPE. Jan. 



Lichens. — These plants must be studied from sections. The 

 sections cut with a razor can be made quickl}^ conveniently and 

 satisfactorily. Shave a very small piece from the edge of any 

 part of the thallus ; place the section on a slide in any conven- 

 ient fluid, put on a thin cover and view with apoweV equal to a 

 quarter inch objective. To see the fructification complete, cut 

 an apothecium in half and then shave a thin section along the 

 cut surface, being careful to include the top portion. In this 

 manner one will be able to see the hymenium with the asci and 

 spores, the green conidia, the cortex and often the spermogones. 

 Few specimens are more interesting and beautiful or will exhibit 

 so many points at once. The specimens are easily obtainable 

 and will well repay the student. 



Puccinia. — Having a lot of leaves with many black, hard cir- 

 cular, raised spots scattered over them, I tried many ways of ex- 

 amining them but obtained no satisfaction. As a last resort, I 

 had recourse to my razor, as above described. I cut the leaf 

 through one of the black spots or sori and then made a very 

 small thin section of the edge of one of the black spots. Plac- 

 ing this on the slide with a drop of potasium hydrate, covering 

 with a thin circle and viewing with a one-fourth objective, a 

 beautiful sight was unfolded. 



Hundreds of obtusely accuminate pedicillate spores were dis- 

 closed with their arrangements upon the leaf. On mounting in 

 balsam the spores assumed a golden yellow hue and formed a 

 sight to gladden the eye of the microscopist. It proved to be 

 Puccinia malvacearum. 



Sclerenchyma. — This cell formation composes the hard tis- 

 sues of nuts and of stone fruits. Excellent specimens may be 

 obtained by cutting as above described. 



The section should be taken from one of the halves of the nut, 

 after removing with a knife, the smooth surface where the two 

 halves join. 



Cut a thin shaving about the size of a pin head and place 

 upon a slide in any convenient liquid. The above parts are so 

 hard that they will invariably nick the razor so that no razor of 

 any value should be used in the experiment. 



Dr. Moore's Method of Staining Blood. — The following 

 is copied from Vol. Ill, page 136 of the American Microscop- 



