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TABLE OF CONTENTS  
 

TIMETABLE OF PRACTICAL WORK                                                                  

A GENERAL GUIDE TO WRITING UP YOUR LAB REPORT                             

ESTIMATING SIZE THROUGH THE MICROSCOPE                                          

HOW TO CUT HAND SECTIONS                                                                        

PRACTICAL 1 :   ALGAE                                                                                       

PRACTICAL 2:    THE BRYOPHYTES                                                                  

PRACTICAL 3:    THE FERNS AND FERN ALLIES                                            

PRACTICAL 4:    THE GYMNOSPERMS                                                             
 
PRACTICAL 5:    FLOWERING PLANTS

TIMETABLE OF PRACTICAL WORK  
 

WEEK	MAIN ACTIVITY	ANCILLARY ACTIVITY
8	Algae	Ferns - strobili into fixative
9	Bryophytes	Ferns - strobili into alcohol Ferns - set up gametophyte cultues
10	Ferns & Fern Allies
11	Gymnosperms
12	Practical Test (1 hr)           Flowering Plants

N.B. COMPLETED LABS MUST BE PLACED IN MY COURSE-WORK BOX, BY 4:30 P.M. ON THE FRIDAY FOLLOWING THE PRACTICAL SESSION.

A GENERAL GUIDE TO WRITING UP YOUR LAB REPORT  

1. Draw only what you can see.

2. All diagrams must be on plain paper and labelled.

3. Every diagram must have a scale bar or indication of magnification.

4. Scientific names must be written in the standard form as follows with underlining - Homo sapiens.

5. Staple together your work, but do not staple different labs together as each is marked separately.

6. Do not combine map diagrams (i.e. tissue distribution) and high power drawings. Do these separately.
 
7. No Introduction, Methods or Results sections are required for labs of this type. You should, however,
    make relevant observations/comments.
 
 

ESTIMATING SIZE THROUGH THE MICROSCOPE  

If you were to place a graduated slide which bore marks at 10 µm intervals under the microscope you would only
be able to see some of these. This is because the microscope magnifies and therefore at any one time you can only
see a relatively small portion of any object (BUT at higher magnification). When such a slide is placed on the stage
of your microscope and you are using the 10X objective you will be able to see a 1200 µm portion of the slide.
In other words, a circular object of diameter 1200 µm would exactly fill your field of view with the X10 objective.
With the 40X you will see only a quarter as much of any object. A circle 300 µm in diameter will now fill the eye piece.
You can use this simple method to approximate size.

Diameter of field of vision at X10 = 1200 µm Diameter of field of vision at X40 = 300 µm  

HOW TO CUT HAND SECTIONS  
 

1. Hold the tissue, supported in a styrofoam sandwich, with thumb and first two fingers of the
    left hand (if right-handed).
 
2. Trim the styrofoam to a pyramid shape so that you can cut a very small area.

3. Thoroughly wet the razor-blade (degreased by xylene soaking), tissue and fingers with water.
 
4. Sit comfortably with your elbows resting on the lab bench.
 
5. Cut slowly and smoothly (discard the first section) using a slicing action.
 
6. Float the sections off in a watch glass filled with water.
 
7. Once the edge of the razor starts to deteriorate move on to a new part of the blade.

8. Use a fine artist's paint brush to choose your section.