Sonication and other improvements on Jeffrey's technique for macerating wood.

Large, up to pencil-size pieces of wood, rather than slivered wood, are macerated in Jeffrey's fluid, which consists of ca. 1:1 aqueous nitric acid and aqueous chromic acid (each 10% or weaker). Staining is done in ca. 1% solution of safranin in absolute alcohol. The intact pieces of wood can be very briefly sonicated in xylene to release isolated elements and connected cell groups. Various alternative steps are noted. Discussion focuses on the practical and theoretical advantages derived from the aforementioned innovations.