92 Canadian Record of Science. 



water blast and exhaust. Above is a wall case for speci- 

 mens in bulk. At 6 is a gas closet for macerations ; 7 is a 

 table holding a sterilizer, vegetation oven and other 

 apparatus. An effort has been made to so arrange all the 

 details that a student, when once seated at his table, may 

 continue work with a minimum of interruption arising from 

 the want of reagents or apparatus. 



As now equipped, this laboratory affords ample facilities 

 and accommodation for select classes in the third and fourth 

 years, and for demonstrations to large classes in the second 

 year. The course of study embraces a thorough grounding 

 in vegetable histology. The work may be said to be 

 divided into four stages. In the first, the student is 

 instructed as to the construction and use of the microscope, 

 the defects common to such instruments, and the means 

 adopted to overcome them ; determination of amplifications, 

 and the measurement of objects. The second stage involves 

 the examination of the various histological elements of the 

 plant, which, for this purpose, are grouped as, 1st, 

 albuminoids ; 2nd, cellulose and its derivatives ; 3rd, amyloids 

 and sugars, 4th, glycosides; 5th, mineral products; 6th, 

 miscellaneous organic products. These are dealt with in 

 the order given, commencing with protoplasm. Each is 

 fully considered with before proceeding to the next, and 

 the student is thus made thoroughly familiar with the 

 physical characteristics of every histological element, as well 

 as with its behaviour under the action of micro-chemical 

 tests. 



This forms the basis for the third stage, which embraces 

 a study of tissues and their constituent elements, after which 

 the student proceeds to the fourth and last stage, for which 

 he is now well prepared, the complete histology and life 

 history of plants. In this part of the course, the higher 

 Angiosperms are dealt with first, lower groups following in 

 regular succession until the unicellular Thallophytes are 

 reached. This order would more properly be reversed, 

 were it not that some students cannot devote more than one 

 year to the work, and for them a good knowledge of the 



