422 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 
can not be made too thin. Nothing but the keenest and smoothest 
edge will make the thinnest shavings. Among common and usu- 
ally available articles a good razor furnishes the best edge. The 
form of the blade is also best, that is, some razors more nearly 
meet the requirements, so far as form of blade is concerned, than 
any other common knife. The requisites in a razor for this pur- 
pose may be put down as follows: (1) The material must be the 
best steel, suitably tempered ; (2) the edge should be straight from 
toe to heel and free from “ wind 
best for our use. 
For sharpening the best razor hone should be used. This 
latter must be perfectly level and free from gritty granules, and 
the blade must be held scrupulously flat. The best edge is se- 
eured by turning the razor at every stroke, after the usual man- 
ner, provided each stroke is accurate enough to always rest edge 
and back upon the stone. After honing until a perfectly true 
and keen edge is secured, finish upon a leather strop. The latter 
must be frequently used, but the usual artificial hones should be 
avoided. 
Generally the operator will have to keep his own razor in 
order, and he can not be too careful about it. It will not do to 
trust’ the skill of the common barber in sharpening. bet 
study his own needs and then acquire the ability to meet them. 
An examination of the edge (held toward the light) with a mag- 
nifier will be instructive. The sharpened razor should never be 
used for anything besides cutting the thin sections.. All prelim- 
inary whittling is to be done with another knife. : : 
aving a proper edge, the next thing to be here considered 1s 
the manner of holding the object to be cut. For some purposes 
this can be sufficiently well done in the fingers, either by itself 
or between such substances as pith, cork, etc. ; but in the better 
work contemplated in this description some form of a microtome 
1s essential, me persons become very expert by the free han 
method, and all will do well to practice it at times, but all ought 
also to now that anyone, however expert, can make vastly belter 
Sections, at least for some and usually for most purposes, by ¢ 
