AGAIUCUS 457 



of the stipe so as to include both peripheral and central 

 tissues : mount in glycerine, and examine first with a 

 low power : observe 



1. The whole is a spurious tissue, composed of 

 elongated septate tubes (hyphae), which are closely 

 interwoven. 



2. The diameter of the individual hyphse is less, and 

 they are more closely packed towards the periphery 

 than near the centre of the section. 



Examining the sections under a high power it will 

 further be observed 



1. That the hyphse are branched, while occasionally 

 their endings are to be seen. 



2. That they are thin- walled, the transverse or oblique 

 septa being so disposed that the cells are not much 

 longer than broad. 



3. Here and there are to be found hyphse with fewer 

 septa, and highly refractive contents. 



4. The protoplasmic contents of the hyphse which 

 make up the bulk of the tissue are far from being 

 copious, while no single, well-marked nucleus is to be 

 found in the individual' cells. 



By careful staining it is possible to demonstrate the presence 

 of numerous very small nuclei in. the protoplasm of the hyphse. 

 If fresh material be used, the sections may be stained with 

 methyl-green in 1 per cent, acetic acid, washed with 1 per 

 cent, acetic acid, and mounted in weak glycerine and acetic 

 acid ; if chromic acid material be used, it should be care- 

 fully washed from the acid, and be stained with hsematoxylin. 



VI. Cut transverse sections of the stipe, and, treating 

 as before, observe that the hyphse appear circular in 

 section, that they are more loosely packed towards the 



