CUTTING SECTIONS 9 



serve for sections of large area ; for this work a razor 

 with one flat side is recommended. For general use, 

 not only in cutting small objects and soft tissues, but 

 for the e very-day work of the laboratory, an ordinary, 

 very slightly hollow-ground razor, of good quality will 

 be found the most useful. The razor should be stropped 

 to a smooth edge, and the blade should be carefully 

 protected when not in use : it should never be left open 

 on the work-table, and the blade should always be 

 cleaned after use, since the acid juices of plants are 

 apt to corrode it. It will be found convenient to 

 have a glass of water (or weak spirit when resinous 

 tissues are being cut) on the work-table, into which 

 the blade of the razor may be plunged at once after 

 use ; this will prevent immediate corrosion. 



The success of work in the laboratory depends very 

 greatly on due care in the direction of section, and 

 on the condition of the edge of the razor. 



Almost all the sections required in the succeeding 

 pages of this book can be made by hand : elementary 

 students are advised to avoid the use of a microtome, 

 which is for their work a useless and expensive 

 incumbrance ; they should rather cultivate that small 

 amount of manual dexterity which will suffice for the 

 successful preparation of almost all the objects to be 

 described below. When however a series of successive 

 sections of an object is required, a microtome may be 

 used, care being taken to keep the sections in their 

 proper order, and the right way up. 



For advanced students a microtome may be found a con- 

 venience, though it is not actually necessary for any of the work 

 detailed in this book. Tins being so, no description will be given 



