Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-11-08
0be Dailp Direinian.
Auiunnai EoIinge.

The beautiful appearance of the autumnal
foliage, which this year seems almost 10 sur
pass III gorgeousness that OF any previous sea
son, often induces an inquiry as 10 the reason
OF the change which few frosty nights make
III the green livery of our trees and forests
The question is purely chemical one, and
one moreover, about which there is no very
general agreement Of opinion. In fact, there
Is no subject included among natural phenome-
ma more difficult to explain than tins change in
the constitution arrangement OF matter,
whereby a particular body is caused to reflect
or absorb light in such a way that 1t assumes
at one time wholly different color. These
changes are very far from being confined to
any one species of matter. The trout, which,
sandy bottom. has yellow, speckled hue,
becomes dark brown or blue beneath a shaded
bank; the yellow Of the weasel and the rabbit,
maintained during the summer months, is al
really changing TO " hlte; and il is susceptible
Of rigid dcmonsti alton that the blue of the Oc-
tobcr sky is not the same. either in tint quail
ty, with that which welcomed the bursting Of
the leafin the months of April or May.
Tho general supposltion in regard 10 the
change of the leaves is this When the tree
or plant is in full activity, It's foliage, 1t is well
known, absorbs carbonic acid and dsengagcs
oxygen. When, now, through the influence
OF sufficiently low temperature or from any
other cause, the functions of vegetable life arc
suspended, and the fluids cease 10 circulate,
the leaves no longer disengage oxygen, but,
in common with all dead bodies, absorb this
gas, which. forming an acid, changes the colors
of leaves either 10 yellow, red or some inter
mediate shade, depending on the quality Of the
matter present in the leaves. 1t has also been
asserted that this acid can be neutralized by an
akal, and the green restored. This is not,
however, the case. A leaf does not become
green by any re-agent; but when II has become
red, "A solution Of potash will change ii to green,
because the red coloring matter forms green
compounds with that alkal
Bclzeus, the great Swedish chemist, spent
considerable time in investigating this subject.
He found that when the yellow lenvcs were
treated with alcohol, they yielded a granular
substance, which had a tendency TO erystaliza-
tion and also yellow, soft, fatty substance,
which appeared identical with the grains. -
These contained the yellow coloriug matter
of the leaves, which is described as "a yellow,
fatty, unctuous substance, easily melted, and
on cooling becoming concrete and transparent.
When moistened with water, and long exposed
to the air and light, it ooses its color entirely.
nation Of the green cooring matter Of the lenf
into yellow, Is effected by change in the
organization oflh leaf produced by the frost.
Every effort to reproduce the green from the
yellow proved fruilless; neither could he sue
ceed in changing the green coloring matter 10
yellow. The red coloring matter of the leaves
has been also extracted, and is believed to be
the same with that Of red fruits. The brown
color which leaves assume when completely
withered has nothing in common with either
the red Or the yellow coors 1t is produced
by an extractve principle, originally colorlcss
but winch, when tho epidermls or outer layer
of the leof structure has decayed off, is acted
upon by the oxygen of the air and commun
Gates to the ferrous skeleton Of the leaf the well
known brown color. This color is one OF the
most fixed and Interchangeable with which we
arc acquainted, and cannot bo impaired or de-
stroyed by the most powerful chemical re.
agents. This, we believe, cmbodies all that Is
al present known, scientifically speaking, re-
specting the change Of the leaves. The diff
ferent appearance presented by different trees
must be referred to a difference in their nature,
and the different changes observed in different
countries and locations IS undoubtedly owing
to different climatic conditions.-Springfeld
Republican.