SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



34: 



a like number of shillings. It contains original 

 articles, summaries, notes on apparatus and 

 technique, and a list of new books. 



EXTRACTS FROM POSTAL MICROSCOPICAL 

 SOCIETY'S NOTEBOOKS. 



[Beyond necessary editorial revision these notes 

 are printed as written by the various members. — 

 Ed. Microscopy, S.-G-.] 



{Continued from page 312.) 



Rosa caniiia. — Commencing with the middle 

 section, we notice the structure of the pith to be 

 composed of groups of large cells radiating from 

 groups of small cells. These latter are the cut 

 ends of a network of active, living elements, and 

 the larger cells are only so much packing. The 

 cells are all very strongly pitted. Bounding this 

 pith are the wood bundles with the fascicular 

 cambium active, and the interfascicular cambium 

 just commencing its operations. Beyond the 

 cambium lies the bast tissue, the phloem or soft 

 bast on the inside, the sclerenchyma or hard bast on 

 the outer. Outside this comes the cortex, the 

 chlorophyll -bearing tissue, with cells whose 

 Jonger diameters are arranged tangentially. At 

 the outer edge of the cortex, bounded by the 

 epidermis, may be seen patches of cells with their 

 longer diameter coinciding with the line of growth, 

 so that they now present their shorter diameter 

 to the observer. These did not contain chlorophyll. 

 The active cortex corrugations separate these 

 strings and extend to the epidermis. It is upon 

 theselines of chlorophyll-bearing tissue that we 

 find the stomata of the stem. In the cortex 

 may be seen several compound raphides. The 

 prickle is distinguished from the thorn by the fact, 

 as may be here seen, that the wood does not enter 

 into its composition, it being simply a defensive 

 outgrowth from the cortex. It is composed of 

 fusiform cells, strongly pitted, and when developed 

 strongly lignified. Between the prickle and the 

 cortex is an absciss layer providing for the fall of 

 the prickle, though I cannot see the advantage 

 resulting from it. By careful examination of the 

 prickle we can see that wherever there is a crystal 

 it is always contained in a subdivision of one of 

 the long cells ; and one cell is thus divided into 

 nine compartments, each containing its crystal. 

 'Regarding the crystal as utterly useless to the 

 plant, as being the result of destructive meta- 

 bolism and a crystallisation out of and therefore 

 insoluble in its own sap, the tissue itself being 

 strictly mechanical, it seems strange that such 

 crystal should be so carefully isolated. 



Terminal Leaf Spine of Agave americana (L.S. 

 and T.S. prepared by grinding). — This is another 

 illustration of the uses of sclerenchyma, here acting 

 as a defensive tissue. Its elements may be, roughly, 

 orbicular, angular, or long-sprouted ; in fact, they 

 are of every conceivable shape, often maturing 

 under the pressure of surrounding tissues, and each 

 cell is crushed by the increasing strength of the 

 neighbouring cells ; intercellular air-spaces are not 

 to be found here. The cell-walls were originally 

 cellulose, but have been strengthened by successive 

 deposits of lignin. Channels of communication 

 between cell and cell have, however, been left 

 open, and these pores are known as "canaliculi." 

 When two of the sclerenchyma cells touch, these 

 canaliculi correspond in position with each other. — 

 Thos. S. Beardsmore, Hinoldey, Leicestershire. 



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FIELD BOTANY. 

 CONDUCTED BY JAMES SAUNDERS, A. L.S. 



Wild Snowdrops. — Early in March this year a 

 small party of cyclists went rambling to gather 

 wild snowdrops. The habitat of these charming- 

 flowers is a miniature gorge, with steep narrow 

 sides, roughly tangled with brambles and nettles. 

 The stream IdcIow flows over a stony bed, here and 

 there interrujjted by a ledge or mass of rock, over 

 which the water falls in a small cascade. It is a 

 sunny, sheltered spot, on the south-west border of 

 Herefordshire, and for a distance of nearly a mile 

 the snowdrops grow in their hundreds, sometimes 

 scattered, sometimes in thick white masses. They 



Abnormal Snowdrops. 



were in perfection of bloom ; taller than their 

 garden sisters, most of the scapes being from nine 

 to twelve inches high. One of these, bearing two 

 flowers, as here figured, measured sixteen inches, 

 and its pair of leaves twelve inches, and it greatly 

 resembled a summer snowflake. One flower was 

 found having four parts to each perianth-whorl and 

 eight stamens. Overhead the alder catkins were 

 dangling in colours of crimson and gold. The 

 more sober-hued hazel catkins were nearly empty 

 of pollen ; the little crimson tufts of the female 

 flowers were sprinkled over the bushes. The first 

 primroses were flowering by the stream-side, while 

 on the steep shelving banks coltsfoot was in 

 blossom. A few days later, in another locality, 

 wild daffodils were gathered, and among them was 

 found one with a double-headed scape ; but in this 

 case both flowers came out of the summit of the 

 scape, with but one sheath and two pedicels. — 

 Eleonora Armitage, Badnor, Herefordshire, March 

 nth, 1902. 



January Flowering of Hazel. — With refer- 

 ence to the note (p. 287, ante) regarding pollen- 

 shedding male catkins of hazel observed in 

 the West of England during the week endin::;- 

 January 25th, I may mention that on January 26t]i 



