STUDIES ON FLAX BETTING. 
39 
acid and 50 c. c. of 50% alcohol. The solution stains fatty substances red. 
It also reacts on wax and cutin. 
B. Results of the Observation. 
1. Cellulose. On the cross section of the stem, we applied Congo red 
and zinc chloride iodin solution. The cells and cell layers which are stained 
with congo red are the cell-walls of the cortical parenchyma, phloem-paren- 
chyma, epidermis and fibers. The middle lamella of the fibers are faintly 
stained but the fiber themselves are stained more intensely than the other 
-cell-walls. 
With the zinc chloride iodin solution, the bluish violet coloration was 
observed on the same tissues as above. 
From the results we may conclude that the cellulose is a constituent 
not only of the fibers, but also of the cell walls of the cortical parenchyma, 
phloem-parenchyma and epidermis, though its quantity is very small. 
We could not observe any change of cellulose at the end of the first 
period of the retting but in the middle or in the last period, the destructon of 
cell- walls of the cortical parenchyma, phloem-pai’enchyma and epidermis was 
noticed. On the other hand, the cellulose reaction on the fibers became more 
intensive, with the progress of the retting period. 
2. Pectin compounds. For the study of pectin compounds, two methods 
were employed. The one was direct examination with ruthenium red, and 
the other was stainning with methylen blue and safranin, after the dissolu- 
tion of the cellulose with ammonium copper oxide solution. The character- 
istic red color with ruthenium red was observed on the middle lamella of the 
fiber on the cell-walls of the cortical parenchyma, cambium and epidermis and 
also on the middle thickening layer of fiber cells. Among them the middle 
lamella of fibers were stained intensely red. 
With methylen blue, the middle lamella of fibers were stained a deep 
violet, the inner thickening layer of fibers, the cell- walls of the cortical 
