550 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[JoNE 2G, 1885. 



present very remarkable appearance, difl'ering from tliuse of 

 the filament, and if that seems the case, a much higher 

 magnification should be employed. The annexed figure 

 represents the anther wall-cells of the Yellow Lamium 

 (Deadnettle), Lamium fjaleohdolon, an easily-recognised 

 plant of the Labiate family now in flower, and said by 

 Bentham to be not uncommon in England and Ireland, 

 but rare in Scotland. The cells are thicker together than 

 in the sketch. They project a little in a slight convexity, 

 but their finger-like prolongations are lost in the tissue, and 

 this distinguishes them from stellate hairs, which they 

 resemble at first sight. 



These stellate cells are by no means common to the 

 anthers of the whole labiate family, but it would be worth 

 while makiug an extensive search for them. The Ked 

 Dead Nettle has peculiar cells, but not like those of the 

 Yellow Lamium. That pretty garden bushy plant, 

 Coronilla Emerus, now covered with thousands of yellow, 

 pea-shaped blossoms, has anther-cells something like those 

 of the Yellow Lamium. Laburnum differs, and so does 

 the Judas Tree. Both should be looked at, but none the 

 writer has examined are as pretty as those figured on pre- 

 vious page. 



Objects of this delicate character may be preserved in 

 good condition for many days, without any special mount- 

 ing, by putting them in a drop of saturated solution of 

 acetate of potash with a cover-glass over. This salt is so 

 deliquescent that its solution does not dry up by exposure 

 to the air on any but very dry days, and in ordinary 

 weather it absorbs enough moisture to keep itself in 

 solution. 



The botanical morphologist may be interested in noting 

 cases in which the anther-structure differs from that of the 

 filament, and, so far as the writer knows, this subject has 

 been neglected hitherto. Stellate hairs are common to 

 many plants, and the stellate cells of rush pith are well- 

 known objects. If any reader discovers any remarkable 

 anther wall-cells, the writer will be glad to know of them. 



TRICYCLES IN 1885. 



By John Beowning. 



{Chairman of the London Tricycle Club.) 

 ROUTE CAEDS, A ROUTE BOOK, AND A ROAD BOOK. 



AS the season is now well advanced and we are enjoying 

 a spell of fine weather at last, I trust that nearly all 

 who take an interest in these articles are provided with 

 machines. I therefore propose to write a short paper on 

 Route Cards and Koad Books, and to follow this with 

 others on Diet and Clothing for tricyclists. 



In my last article I alluded to Route Cards ; a very com- 

 plete set of these has been drawn up by Mr. R. E. Phillips. 



A great advantage of these cards is that one or more of 

 them can be carried in the rider's pocket and consulted at 

 any doubtful points on the journey, often without stopping 

 the machine. Of course, they have another advantage also, 

 that of extreme portability — half-a-dozen of them, which 

 will cover a distance of 300 miles, occupying no appreciable 

 space when they are required for a tour, and they have to 

 be carried in the necessary luggage. 



These_ Route Cards showjtte distance from place to place, 

 as well as the whole distance, in both directions, and the 

 places to which all cross-roads lead, as well as their dis- 

 tances, with other information. The cards are sold at 

 twopence each, and a general index is published to them. 



Within the last few days Messrs. Letts k Co. have 

 brought out the first part of a new "Route Book of 



England," by Mr. Charles Howard. The work will be 

 published in three parts, called Southern England, Middle 

 England, and Northern England. The part just issued, 

 Southern England, includes from London to the Land's 

 End. Both direct roads and cross roads are given. The 

 routes are shown in this book on a plan similar to that of 

 Mr. Phillips' Route Cards, the name of each place being 

 given, with the distance from the preceding place, and the 

 whole distance from the startLng-poiut on the right hand 

 of each page, and the distances in the reverse direction on 

 the left hand, for use when riding the other way. The 

 names of the principal hotels are given, and dangerous hills 

 are indicated. 



This route-book is furnished with a good road map, and 

 an iudex of thirteen pages ; it ia bound in a limp cover ; 

 the corners of the cover, and even the corners of the leaves, 

 are rounded, so that it may be slipped easily into the 

 pocket without becoming dog's-eared. When I add that 

 the book is published at one shilling, I think I shall be 

 justified in adding that no greater boon could well have 

 been ofiered to cyclists by an enterprising publisher. 



Those who wish for the most complete information on 

 the condition of the roads, their contour, surface, and 

 mileage, and the places of interest in each locality, in 

 England, Wales, and a great part of Scotland should obtain 

 " Howard's Road-Book," by the same publisher. This 

 work contains topographical notes of the chief towns and 

 cities, and references to the antiquities, natural curiosities, 

 and places of interest along the various routes. It is ne- 

 cessarily rather large to be carried about, but it is invaluable 

 for consultation at home. I have used it extensively, and 

 always found it accurate. 



eiiitonal (goflifiilp. 



Yet another of the enormous fires which appear to be 

 rapidly becoming chronic, on the premises of Mr. Whiteley, 

 of Westbourne-grove, serves to emphasize what I have on 

 two or three occasions insisted on here, the very unscientific 

 character of our appliances for dealing with anything like 

 a serious conflagration. Between 5 and 6 a.m., the out- 

 break is first detected by the resident fireman on duty, and, 

 rather more than four hours later, an acre and a half of 

 buildings are converted into an amorphous mass of charred 

 and seething ruins. And it is particularly to be 

 remarked that " there was a plentiful supply of water, 

 and by the aid of eighteen steam fire-engines, three stand- 

 pipes, and four hydrants, the fire was "■ — prevented from 

 destroying more than £150,000 worth of property ! Any 

 impudent scientific quack nowadays appears to have but 

 little difficulty In getting a " Committee " appointed and 

 subsidized from the National Exchequer. Would it be 

 asking too much if the Government were requested to 

 form one consisting of three or four men of the stamp of 

 Sir F. Abel, Dr. Armstrong, or Dr. Guthrie, to examine 

 and report upon the known chemical means of averting 

 such a disaster as, at one time on the morning of the 17th, 

 threatened the whole of Westbourne-grove 1 



In another column will be found a paragraph taken 

 from our contemporary, the Medical Press and Circular, 

 and containing a suggestion which is perfectly charming 

 in its simplicity. It emanates from a lady who is so 

 gravely exercised on the subject of vivisection of the lower 

 animals as to propose that physiological experiments on 

 them should be absolutely and entirely put down by the 

 strong arm of the law, and that condemned criminals (!) 



