364 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Nov. 



latter the hinged supporting-rod may be placed in an upright 

 position and the lens, double or triplet, stage, and diaphrngm 

 slipped on, all of which parts rnay be adjusted by simply mov- 

 ing them up or down the rod. The stage in this instrument is 

 fixed by means of a thumbscrew. In one end of the box and 

 directly beneath the lens when adjusted there is a small mov- 

 able mirror. Grooves on the lower side of the lid carry a 

 needle and dissecting knife. The two last-named features, 

 however, are not found in some of these folding-box micro- 

 scopes. 



There may, of course, be had some expensive and complete 

 dissecting microscopes; tho?e here described, however, fulfil 

 every practical purpose, excepting in cryptogamic botany and 

 vegetable anatomy, or in the examination of pollen, in which 

 cases a compound microscope is required. For detailed infor- 

 mation our correspondent might address Mr. \V. A. Olmsted, 

 182 Wabash avenue, Chicago, Ills., who make a specialty of 

 school supplies of this nature, including everything connected 

 with practical botan} , such as botanizing boxes, flower presses, 

 absorption and mounting paper, genus covers, etc. He would, 

 no doubt, take pleasure in quoting prices and giving other de- 

 sired information. 



Cheap Pine Wood Stand for a $400 Objective. — The 



following is told by the owner in whom we have full confi- 

 dence. In July, 1895, the l-75th inch objective was in Maine 

 and no stand to use it with. Mr. R. B. Tolles had strictly 

 charged that it never should be used save on a first class 

 stand. Indeed, till now it had not been used on any but a 

 $300 Tolles or Zentam^'-er stand. But Prof. Moody of the Au- 

 burn High School was anxious to look through it and the time 

 Avas short. So resort was made to the Irish Brothers mill at 

 Buckfield. White pine 13 in. x 4 in. x 2 in. was planed smooth. 

 In the median flat line 9 inches from the end, it was instantly 

 bored, by a machine augur square through, with a hole, which 

 after reaming, received the Boston optical works clinical stand. 

 Two strips of pine 6 in. x 7-8 in. x I in. were nailed flatwise to 

 the bottom 2 in. sides, projecting 2 in. each way for a base. 

 Two like strips were nailed flatwise to the 2 in. sides, 4 in. below 

 the hole and projecting 4 in. in one way for a stage basis ; 3 in. 



