1896.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 261 



Studies in Elementary Biology. 



By henry L. OSP.ORN, 

 hamlink university, saint paul, minnesota. 

 Tliese studies are intended to point the way upon 

 easily accessible material to some of tlie fundamental 

 facts about the cell. A much larger range of subjects 

 and more detailed and exhaustive studies on each one 

 would undoubtedly add much to the intelligent grasp of 

 the student, but with a clear and distinct knowledge of 

 the points made in this article it will be found that the 

 difficult subject of the cell will receive considerable 

 illumination. The article is not designed to supply 

 general information about the cell, but to suggest 

 and direct convenient topics for investigation in the 

 laboratory. It is expected that such laboratory work 

 will be accompanied by the study of some such text 

 as Parker's Elementary Biology, in which the cor- 

 related general information can be found. In view of 

 the fact that there are already a great many similar 

 manuals in existence I can only urge as an excuse for 

 sending out still another that I find that many cases 

 have come under my instruction which call for a shorter 

 course than any of which I at present know. 



Part I. 



1. The Potato Tuber. — Examine a whole potato and 

 determine whether there is any law shown in the loca- 

 tion of the buds or eyes, and whether you can recognize 

 opposite ends. If there are scars on the surface, deter- 

 mine whether they too are definitely located. Compare 

 a number of different specimens of the potato, to decide 

 whether the law prevails in all as to the location of the 

 buds. Draw a spiral line around the specimen pass- 

 ing through all the buds, noting that they occur at 

 equal angles ; number them in order, beginning at the 



