No. 422.] NOTES AND LITERATURE. 165 
BOTANY. 
Chamberlain's ** Methods in Plant Histology.’’ !— The thin vol- 
ume at hand is based on a series of elementary articles in the /ournal 
of Applied Microscopy dealing with methods of studying the finer 
structure of plants. It is, therefore, a discussion of methods rather 
than a treatise on plant histology. Chapters dealing with reagents, 
methods of killing and fixing, staining, sectioning, and mounting 
deal with the processes named. The directions are given in a clear, 
straightforward style, and numerical data appear where most desirable. 
The preparation of reagents is described fully enough, and the 
absence of citations of indefinite quantities and time limits, which 
often renders useful books less useful than they might be, is 
commendable. 
'The second part deals with the most useful methods of preparing 
material, from the lowest to the highest groups of plants, and special 
methods and devices for difficult types of plant life are described. 
Some of the main features to be looked for are indicated, mainly as 
a means of judging of the success of the preparation. 
Although in no sense a complete work, one rendering Lee's Vade 
Mecum or Zimmermann's Microtechnique less necessary, most teachers 
of botany not themselves primarily histologists will find this volume 
a very useful addition to their shelf of ready reference books. 
KH E 

Notes. — Very substantial evidence of activity in the botanical 
laboratory of the Imperial University of Tokyo, Japan, under the 
direction of Dr. M. Miyoshi, professor of botany, is at hand in the 
shape of several papers published in the Journal of the College of 
Science during the current year. 
K. Saito? presents an anatomical study of the most important 
plant fibers of Japan, giving attention especially to those derived 
from bast cells. The shape, dimensions, markings, contents, and 
wall structure are indicated, and the reactions of the walls to the 
most important reagents stated. Several points of interest bearing 
on the developmental history of certain of these fibers have been 
1 Chamberlain, Charles J. Methods im Plant Histology. Chicago, University 
g ; eed gens ee E "Studien über wichtige Faserpflanzen Japans mit 
besonderer Berücksichtigung der Bastzellen, Journ. Coll. of Sci, Imp. Univ. Tokyo, 
vol. xv, pt. iii (1901 x pp- 395-462. 2 pls. 


