THE FLOWEEING PLANT — EOOTS 357 



off each side of the lowest internode, leaving the 

 latter in the form of a long, thin wedge, whose 

 tip is so thin as to be transparent. With a rub- 

 ber band loosely fasten the stem to the surface 

 of a slide, remove the preparation from the wa- 

 ter, being careful to keep the section well mois- 

 tened, wipe the superfluous water off the slide, 

 put on the cover-glass, and examine under a me- 

 dium power. Find the ends of the spiral vessels 

 in the fibro-vascular bundles, and look for small 

 particles being carried into the mouths of these 

 vessels. If no particles are seen, add a drop of 

 water containing a little powdered indigo or car- 

 mine. Do the particles enter any other elements 

 than the spiral vessels ? How rapid is the flow 

 of water 'into the vessels? With a quick stroke 

 of a sharp razor cut off the leaves one by one, 

 noting the rate of flow after the removal of each 

 leaf. Does their removal have any influence on 

 the rate of flow? 



C. — Roots 



The examination of the gross and microscopic struct- 

 ure of these organs and the devising of physiological 

 experiments are left to. the ingenuity of the student. 

 The roots of the flowering plants differ so little from 

 those of the fern and from the rhizome of the fern and 

 the stems just examined, that the student ought readily 

 to comprehend the resemblances and differences. As 

 specimens to work upon it is suggested that several of 

 the following be used : seedling maple, beet, Indian 

 corn, onion, bean, ivy, mustard, oat, and pumpkin. Both 

 fresh and alcoholic material should be used. 



