CURRENT LITERATURE. 
BOOK REVIEWS. 
A handbook of microscopical technique. 
THE mere announcement of the issue of a third edition of Strasburger’s 
Das botanische Practicum is sufficient to insure the orders of every student 
and botanical laboratory giving any attention to histology. The work is 
already so well and so favorably known that it needs no commendation at 
our hands. We therefore undertake only to point out the general character 
of the changes in the present edition’ which are calculated to fit it still better 
to serve the purpose of a guide to microscopical technique as applied to 
plants. 
The last edition was published in 1887. In the ten years which have 
since elapsed important advances have been made in technique. Notable 
among these are the introduction of apochromatic lenses for all the higher 
powers of the microscope, the extensive adoption of fixing, staining, and 
imbedding methods, and the universal use of the microtome for section cut- 
ting. In the matter of fixing and staining the tendency has been to the 
perfecting of a few processes, rather than to the increase in the number of 
materials. This has largely been due to the criticism of technique following 
upon the necessity of determining whether or not observers were dealing with 
real structures or with appearances which they had themselves created by 
their technique. 
Professor Strasburger has not found it possible to make use of all the 
extensive microtechnical literature without completely changing the character 
of the book. He has preferred to keep the old form, though with much 
altered contents, and we feel sure that those who need to consult the book 
will be rather glad that he has been limited in this way. Too much informa- 
tion is sometimes as embarrassing as too little. 
~The most striking change which meets the eye is the great extension of 
the introduction. In this part the author has now brought together directions 
for the use of the microscope and various accessories which before were 
scattered through several chapters, besides the necessary instructions as t0 
ss * EDUARD STRASBURGER: Das botanische Practicum. Anleitung zum Selbststt- 
: ium der mikroskopischen Botanik. Fir Anfanger und Geiibtere. Zugleich €™ 
i, SORASONEE | 
221. Jena: Gustav Fischer, 1897. Price, unbound, 4/20; bound, A 22. 
380 
Se i man ee Np St ties 
Technik. Third edition. 8vo. pp. xlviii +7405 98> 
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