630 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



New Form of "Container" for Use in Museums of Economic 

 Botany.* — G. L. Goodall gives the following details : " The materials 

 are — 1. Lantern-slide glass of best quality and of standard size. 2. 

 Strips of hard wood of different widths, ranging from T x ^ in. to 1 in., 

 but of perfectly uniform thickness, namely T ^ in. for the widths below 

 % in., and | in. for the widths above this. 3. Strong fish-glue in a 

 liquid form — that which comes in Dennison's tubes has proved satisfac- 

 tory. 4. A strong solution of potassium dichromate or a 20 p.c. solution 

 of formalin. 5. Hard paraffin. 6. Strong binding strips well made 

 with good glue. 



" From three strips of the wood neatly fastened between two 

 thoroughly cleaned glass slides, one procures a container of the desired 

 thickness. This is filled with the specimen of seeds or other objects and 

 then is closed by placing the fourth strip in position. All four edges 

 are next dipped for an instant in the solution of potassium dichromate 

 or of formalin, in order to render the glue, after drying and exposure to 

 the sun, wholly unaffected by moisture. If preferred, these solutions 

 may be put on with a brush. When the filled container is completely 

 dry, the edges are placed in a thin layer of melted hard paraffin and 

 quickly removed. On cooling, the excess of paraffin is carefully scraped 

 off, and the binding strips are then applied. The prepared container is 

 now ready for installation in any exhibition case. Its contents are proof 

 against invasion by moisture or any museum pests. In the very few 

 instances where insects have been subsequently detected in the container, 

 a small hole was made in one side of the wood, and a little carbon 

 disulphide or chloroform thrown in by a medicine-dropper, and then the 

 hole was closed by a bit of soft wax. In no case has it been found 

 necessary to repeat the dose. 



" When the specimen is a powder which it is desired to show in a thin 

 layer, it has been found well to proceed in a different manner. First, a 

 flat cell is made by cementing with glue the thinnest strips of wood on 

 all four sides, and then drying the whole. Into this cell the powder can 

 be put in a perfectly even layer, and then covered carefully by the other 

 slide. 



"Among the advantages which this easy method possesses are the 

 following : economy of material, absence of distorting refractions of the 

 container, a convenient tablet form for any exhibition-case, and a free 

 space for labelling. To these advantages may be added the slighter but 

 not unimportant ones : exposure of both sides of the specimen, and 

 security against damage when used as a hand-specimen for class-work." 



New Method for Detecting Starch in Wheat Flour.f — G-. Gastine 

 has devised a sensitive and certain method for detecting the adulteration 

 of wheat and other flours with rice. It consists of impregnating the 

 suspected flour with a staining solution, drying the preparation slowly, 

 and then heating it for a few minutes at a temperature of 110°-130°, 

 after which it is examined under the Microscope in cedar oil or in 

 balsam. 



* Amer. Journ. Sci., xxi. (1906) pp. 451-2. 

 T Comptes Rendus, cxlii. (1906) pp. 1207-10. 



