1894.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 337 



study was as follows : The fruits when fresh were placed 

 immediately in 60 per cent alcohol, or if old and dry 

 were first soaked for a few hours in water. The softened 

 seeds were then dehydrated with 95 per cent alcohol 

 by means of a Schultz's dehydrating apparatus (see 

 Thomas, Collodion Method in Botany, Proc. Amer. Mic. 

 Soc. 1890) for about seven days. The material was now 

 placed in 2 per cent collodion (2 grams, gun-cotton, 

 50cc. 95 per cent alcohol, 50cc. ether) where it remained 

 about four days. It was then transferred to 5 per 

 cent collodion. Two days later this collodion with the 

 seeds was poured into shallow paper boxes and hardened 

 in alcohol. Square blocks containing the seed could then 

 be cut out and placed in any desired position on cork, 

 and fixed in place by the addition of a few more drops of 

 collodion. 



The sections were all made on a sliding microtome 

 with a rather narrow and thick bladed knife. They were 

 stained with hematoxylin and mounted in series in Can- 

 ada balsam. Sections were taken in two vertical planes 

 and transversly. 



A Marking Apparatus for Indicating the Position of Objects 

 or Parts of Objects in Microscopical Preparations. 



By S. H. gage, 

 ithaca, n. y. 



Doubtless every one who works much with the micro- 

 scope has felt the need of some device to enable him 

 quickly to find what he knows to be under the cover- 

 glass in a given preparation. This applies of course with 

 especial force to the higher objectives where the field is 

 so small. Various devices like the Maltwood finder etc., 

 have been invented for this purpose. Special verniers 

 have been added to mechanical stages for the same pur- 

 pose. The perfect mechanical stage with verijiers is all 



