330 BOTANICAL GAZETTE | NOVEMBER 
solution made according to Lee in 100° of water) acting for 
from 12 to 24 hours. After washing out in absolute alcohol, 
further differentiation was obtained with clove-oil, or in the case 
of Potamogeton, preferably with anilin oil. The action was 
then stopped with bergamot oil before mounting in balsam. 
CONVALLARIA MAJALIS L. 
The Liliacee have so far furnished some of the very best 
subjects for cytological study. To those already studied must 
now be added another good type, namely Convallaria. This 
plant has unfortunately up to the present time received very 
little attention, although the large nuclei and long rod-like 
chromosomes almost equal Lilium in the ease with which they 
may be studied. The published observations are at present 
limited to those of Strasburger on the pollen of C. Polygonatum, 
and on the endosperm of C. majalis3 The observations on both 
of these are very brief. 
The material for this study was obtained from plants gr 
in the University greenhouses. They were here under a constant 
though moderate condition of forcing, which thus enabled one 
to obtain an unusually large proportion of dividing nuclei. The 
progressive development of the flowers in the raceme makes it 
possible to find many stages on a plant all at one time. +° 
insure rapid penetration of the fixing agent the uppet and er 
ends of each bud were cut away, thus exposing directly the cells 
of the anther. 
In order to determine if there might not be a relatio 
the nuclear division and the environment of the plant, ©sP' 
as to the amount of light, humidity, etc., several experime " 
were made. In the case of Convallaria only the effect of Bit 
could be studied, since the other conditions in the ear ht, 
were practically the same. In order to test the effect of oe 
material was collected at various times during the day and at 
The results, however, were wholly negative. Spindles 
found in about the same proportion in every collection. 
* Befruchtungsvorginge bei den Phanerogamen 171. 1884. 
3 Theilungsvorgange der Zellkerne 43. 1882. 
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