The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-11-13
SATURDAY MORNING NOVEMBER 10 1852
rom the Springfield (.Mass. J Republican
AUTUMNAL FOLIAGE.


almost to surpass in gorgeousness that of
any previous season, often induces an
inquiry as to the reason of the change
which a few frosty nights make in 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 opin-
ion. In fact, there is no subject inclu-
ded among natural phenomena more
difficult to explain than this change in
the constitution or arrange cent of mat
ter, whereby particular bodyis caused
to reflect or absorb light n such way
that If assumes at one time wholly
different color. These changes are
very far from being confined to any one
species Of matter. The trout, which,
on sandy bottom, has yellow, Speck-
LED hue, becomes dark, brown, or blue
beneath shaded bank; the yellow OF
the weasel and the rabbit, maintained
during the summer months, Is already
changed to white; and il is susceptible
of ri gld demonstration thal the blue OF
the October ky is not the same, either
in tint or quality, with that which wei.
coined The bursting Of the leaf in the
months Of April or May.
The general suppositlon in regard tc
the change of the leaves is This: When
the tree or plant is in full activity, its
foliage, it is we'll known, absorbs car
honic acid and disengayes oxygen.
When now, through the influence of a
sufficiently low temperature, or from
any other cause, the functions Of vege-
tables are suspended, and the fluids
cease to circulate, the leaves no longer
d;sengage oxygen but, in common with
ali dead bodies, absorb this gas, which,
forming an acid, changes the color OF
leaves either to yellow, red, or some IN
term"diate shade, depending on the
quality OF the matter present IN the
leaves. 1t has also been asserted that
the acid can be neutralized by an alkali.
and the green restored This is not,
however. the case. A leaf does not be-
come green by any re-agent; but when
it has become red. solution of potash
will change it to green, because the red
coIorlng matter forms green compounds
with that alkali.
BGNzELlUs, the great Swedish chem
list, spent considerable time in investi-
eating this subject. He found that
when the yellow leaves We're treated
with alcohol, they yield granular sub
stance, which had a tendency to crystal
ization, and also yellow, soft, fatty
substance, which appeared identical
with the grains. These contained the
yellow coIoring matter Of the leaves,
which is described as yellow, fatty,
unctious substance, easily melted, and
on cooling becoming concrete and trans
parent. When moistened with water,
and long exposed to the air and light, it
loses its color entirely. BERzELIVs W as
of the opinion that the transformation Of
the green coloring matter of the leaf
into yellow is effected by change in
the organization of the leaf produced by
the frost. Every effort to reproduce the
green from the yellow proved frnitless;
neither could he succeed IN changing
the green coloring matter to yellow.
The red coloring matter of the leaves
has been also extracted, ard is believed
to be the same with that Of red rults.
The brown color which leaves assume
when completely withered has nothing
in common with either the red or the
yellow colors. Ii is produced by an ex.
tractive principle, originally colorless,
but which, when the epldermis or
outer layer OF the leaf structure has
decayed off, is acted upon by the oxy-
gen OF the air, and communicates TO the
tibrous skeleton OF the leaf the well
known brown color. This color is one
of the most fixed and Interchangeable with
which we are acquainted, and cannot
be impaired or destroyed by the mos:
powerful chemical reagents. This, we
believe, embodies all that is at present
known. scientifically speaking, respect
ing the change of the leaves. The diff
ferent appearance presented by different
trees must be referred to Il difference in
their nature, and the different changes
observed in different countries and To-
cations is undoubtedly owing TO differ
ent climatic conditions.
PROFITABLE PIcEINGs 1t is stated
that, in addition to the vast quantity of
valuablcs found in the Crystal Palace,
in London, by the police, a large NUM-
Der of gold, silver and copper coins,
purses; gold and silver headed canes,
rings, lockets, etc, have been found by
the workmen who took down the edi
flee; and as the contractors gave them
permission to keep what they found,
some of them have made out tolerably
well. One OF the purses picked up con-
tanned between seven and eight pounds
sterling. These articles slipped down
between the boards. and were thus past