330 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [APRIL 
are natives. Other things being equal, it is well to do this. But even 
by this method, the type would be D. provincialis DC., as this corre- 
sponds better to the generic description than does D. decumbens. . This 
selection of the type also retains the name in the traditional sense.— 
A. S. Hitcucock, U.S. Dept. Agriculture. 
A METHOD OF HANDLING MATERIAL TO BE IMBEDDED 
IN PARAFFINE 
(WITH ONE FIGURE) 
The account given by Mr. W. DupcEON under the above title (Bor. 
Gaz. 57:70-72. 1914) has suggested that some might be interested in 
a similar, but simpler, method which I find useful. 
The specimens to be imbedded in paraffine are strained from the 
killing solution into a small piece (2-4 inches square) of cotton chiffon 
held in bag form. The corners and 
sides are then drawn together and. 
tied with a piece of sewing thread 
(about no. 50), making such a bag as 
is represented in fig. 1. All surplus 
Fic. 1 chiffon is cut away and the bag 's 
put for washing in a dish into which 
a rubber tube brings water slowly from a faucet. Any number of bags 
can be washed in one dish, their contents being labeled by a small slip 
of paper inclosed in the bag with the specimens. The end of the . 
with which the bag is tied is left a few inches long, and by this the uny 
bags can be lifted from one solution to another until the specimens are 
ready to be put into paraffine. The end of the thread left hanging 
- over the top of the bottle does not interfere with replacing the stopper: 
When the specimens are ready for the paraffine, the bag is cut as 
just below the thread tie. It spreads open instantly as 4 flat piece 
of chiffon, from which the specimens can easily be transferred to the 
paraffine. 
The chiffon found best is the thin cotton quality usually sold at a 
veiling counter of department stores at so cents a yard; the meshes are 
©.25-0.33 mm. in diameter. The material is so thin that the spears 
are as good as free in the solution jars, yet any number can be han : 
with the minimum of labor and time.—Etpa R. WALKER, U: niversily 
of Nebraska. 
