BOTANICAL GAZETTE 
FEBRUARY, 1893. 
A comparative study of the roots of Ranunculaces. 
FRED. B. MAXWELL. 
WITH PLATES II—Iv. 
(Continued from p, 146.) 
II. Methods of investigation. 
I began collecting material for this work in August, 1891, 
and continued collecting until the ground became frozen in 
the fall. The roots of Ranunculacex being generally fibrous, 
and often very long and slender, it was no easy matter to 
obtain material that would answer my purpose, as in all cases 
I desired perfect root tips for the study of the meristem, be- 
sides pieces of the root from several points in its length for 
the comparative study of the general structure. Of many of 
the species I obtained plants which were potted and after 
getting them started in a cold frame they were placed in the 
green house, and when more material was needed I had but 
to take the plant from the pot, disturbing it as little as pos- 
sible, and then repot it to keep for farther use. My best sec- 
tions were obtained in this way, for after the plants became 
thoroughly established the root tips were abundant and there 
was not the danger of injuring them in collecting which ne- 
cessarily attends out-door collection of such material. An- 
other advantage from this method was that they were always 
ready at hand when more material was needed to corroborate 
some point. The material was all dehydrated and hardened 
in alcohol, a Thomas dehydrating apparatus being used. It 
was then prepared according to the collodion method, in ail 
cases serial longitudinal sections of the root tip being made 
for the study of the meristem. Over three hundred slides 
were prepared, about two hundred of which furnished the 
material for my study. The roots of some of the plants were 
So small that the making of good sections was a difficult task. 
ong such roots are those of Anemone Caroliniana, Coptis 
4—Vol. XVIII.—No. 2. 
