GROWING APEX OF HIPPUBIS. 205 



thus halved. Each half is cut up subsequently in the same way. 

 Then the section which appears mo'st nearly median is chosen, 

 and in case it does not yet appear thin enough, it is again halved, 

 and so on until a sufficiently thin section is obtained. The 

 operation will at first, perhaps, not be successful, yet in general 

 it presents no insuperable difficulty, and can, at any rate, be 

 attempted ; or, instead of between the fingers, we can place the 

 bud between two flat pieces of elder-pith, and draw the razor 

 between these, though in this case the correct cutting of the 

 object is left more to accident. Objects which, like the foregoing, 

 have a certain thickness and firmness, can be also clamped 

 between the ends of two pieces of elder-pith, and cut horizontally, 

 together with the pith, as has been done in earlier cases. 1 From 

 the sections thus prepared in one way or another we select one 

 sufficiently median for examination ; we can recognise it by the 

 slender, regularly-formed, growing apex, upon which are formed 

 the leaves in whorls or circles of many members, so that we see 

 them at a short distance from the apex as separate protuberances 

 rising symmetrically from the flanks of the vegetative cone. 



The Preparation Microscope. As in the preparation of the 

 sections fragments of other leaf rudiments which have been 

 cut will frequently obscure the view of the apex, it will be well 

 to clear these away before commencing our study. This can 



1 My own method is as follows : Cut the bud by as near as possible a 

 median cut into two halves ; place the halves in water or alcohol, as the case 

 may be. Examine the cut surfaces, and judge by the regularity of the shape 

 which one includes the actual growing apex, or, if it be a large apex, the most 

 central parts of it. Select this half ; stick a needle in a holder through it, 

 well outside the median line, at right-angles to the length of the half, so that 

 the cut surface of the half shall be in a plane parallel with the plane of 'the 

 needle, and, when upwards, shall have the actual apex to the right hand, 

 or, at least, that side towards which you draw the razor-blade in cutting. 

 With the left hand grasp the needle-holder between thumb and other fingers, 

 but extending the index-finger straight out, and flat, so that the curved side 

 of the half-bud lies on and across the finger, and about a third or half an 

 inch from its end. If the needle be lightly pressed upon the finger, the flesh 

 will yield a little, and the object will sink in and be held somewhat firmly, 

 while at the same time the raised part of the finger beyond the object will 

 serve as a good support for the blade of the razor. Holding the razor-blade 

 as flat as possible, take section after section, quite cleanly, until you con- 

 sider that you have fully passed the central portion of the bud. If in doubt 

 as to which half -bud contains the actual apex, both halves can be treated in 

 the same way. The proper central section must then be selected under a 

 low power. More than one section may be suitable. [ED.] 



