528 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [December 



from that time until his death, on April 28, 1914, he held the most com- 

 manding botanical position in France. His influence upon the botany 

 of France, on account of the peculiarly intimate official relations of 

 French universities, was greater than that of mere reputation as a 

 botanist. He became botanical editor of the Annates des Sciences Natu- 

 relles in 1882, succeeding Decaisne in that position. Perhaps his most 

 extensive and most used volume was the Traite de botanique, published 

 in 1884, but most referred to in connection with the second edition, 

 published in 189 1. — J. M. C. 



RETENTION OF CHLOROPHYLL THROUGH THE 



PARAFFIN PROCESS 



In order to study the chloroplasts in corn plants showing various 

 types of reduction of chlorophyll content, the following method was 

 devised to retain the chlorophyll through the paraffin process. The 

 material is fixed in a saturated solution of barium hydrate for 12-24 

 hours, washed with water, dehydrated with alcohol, dealcoholized with 

 xylol, and imbedded in paraffin. The material should be kept in the 

 dark and dehydrated rather rapidly. This method may also be used for 

 imbedding in celloidin. The details of the methods as stated here are 

 purely arbitrary, and may no doubt be modified with advantage. If a 

 weaker fixing solution is used, it must be handled with great care, as 

 barium hydrate precipitates readily as barium carbonate on exposure to 

 carbon dioxide. If a stronger solution is desired, barium hydrate may 

 be dissolved in an ammonium chloride solution. 



Acknowledgments are due Professor R. A. Emerson, of Cornell 

 University, at whose suggestion the investigation was undertaken. 

 E. G. Anderson, University of Nebraska. 



