December, 1913.] 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



55 



An Early Microscope, from an illustration published in 1796. 



AN EARLY MICROSCOPE. 



IN these days of advanced science it is 

 always interesting to look back to the 

 time when students were commencnig 

 the study of a particular subject. Our 

 illustration carries us back to the year 1796 — 

 an early date in the history of Orchidology — 

 when William Withering published the third 

 edition of his " Arrangement of British 

 Plants," the preface stating that " the progress 

 of botanic knowledge is so rapid, and the 

 discoveries so numerous, both at home and 

 abroad, that this may be regarded as a new 

 work than as a republication of an old one." 

 Several copper plates were included in the 

 work, one of which, reproduced above, and 

 which did not occur in either the first or 

 second editions, represents the Botanical 

 Microscope " in its present improved state," 

 and also shows that at that date the inter- 

 esting structure of Orchid flowers was 

 receiving microscopical attention. 



Figure 2 is a magnifying glass, " to be held 

 in the hand, and applied close to the eye, 

 whilst the object to be examined is brought 

 immediately under it, at such a distance as 



shall be found to give the most distinct vision. 

 Figure 3 shows the dissecting knife, the 

 triangular needle, and a pair of small pliers. 

 These instruments are useful in the dissection 

 of flowers, even when the plants are so large 

 as not to require magnifying." 



" When the parts in question are very 

 minute, and require a nice and careful 

 dissection, the botanist should place the 

 microscope upon a table, so that the eye 

 may be applied with ease immediately over 

 and close to the glass. Lay the object to be 

 examined on the dark stage, and turn the 

 screw until the object upon the stage is 

 perfectly distinct. With the needle in the 

 left, and the knife in the right hand, the 

 elbows resting on the table, proceed m the 

 dissection at the same time that the eye is 

 applied to the glass." 



The wonderful contrivances by which the 

 fertilisation of Orchids is effected have 

 always attracted the close attention of 

 botanists. Even in the eighteenth century 

 various views were expressed regarding the 

 structure of the column and the means bv 

 which the pollen influenced the ovules. All 

 present-day Orchidists are well acquainted 



