Procedure for obtaining thin sections of cork from Quercus suber L. with a freezing microtome

摘要

Procedure for obtaining thin sections of cork from Quercus suber L. with a freezing microtome which consists in a particular preparation of the cork samples and which is characterised in that sections are obtained which contain the radial growth accumulated over a reasonably long period. The methodology employed is characterised in that samples of cork are cut in small radial columns and are placed in test-tubes with distilled water together with a quantity of 4-5 drops of a wetting agent, they are kept in an oven for 15-20 days. Once fully-soaked the columns are cut with a microtome in the normal manner. The application of this procedure permits the determination of the parameters involved in the evaluation of the quality of the cork, sections being available for the 1st time which contain the radial growth accumulated over a given period, and the ascertainment of the geographical origin of the cork samples.