Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-22

Ali common leaves contain green pigment
Known TO chemists as cblOrOphyH, from which
they derive their ordinary color. The cells of
the leaf are stored with this pigment, while
their transparent walls give them that super
hclal sheen which we notice SO distinctly in
the glossy foliage of the laurel and the bright
lrondS OF The hartS-tOngue fern. But very
slight chemical changes in the composition of
leaves Sufflce to give them a different color,
which Is not surprising when we recOllect that
color Is nothing more than light, reflected in
greater or less proportions of its constituent
waves. The fashionable pelargoniumS col
euses, and begoniaS, or the dark sedums
which are employed to form the quaint car
pet-gardeGs So much in vogue, show US how
easily the green cOlOrlng matter can be re
placed by various shades of purple, red, and
brown. These changes seem on the whole to
lie connected with some deficient nutrition of
the foIlage. Ii would appear that the normal
and heal, by pigment is a rich green; but that,
as Tie leai LADIES' and dies, it passes through
The autumn tints of the forest, the crimson
hueS OF the Eirginian creeper and the transi-
DRY culolS OF dying plant, all show us these
passing nud"ceS. Ii single leaf, or even a
particular spot upon leaf, is irtoutficiently
supplied with nutriment its first symptom OF
II heal h is tendency to paleneSS or jaun-
diced yellownesS. If an insect turns some por
lon OF IT into gallnut or blight, the tips as
sumo beautiful pink hue. In short, any con-
slltulional weakness in the leaf brings about
chal ( s in lis contained pigments which re-
S ~ IN an altered mode Of rejecting light.
any change In the composition of the pig
mehts Is apt TO be accompanied by change
Ii tLtlr color. Now, tine ends of long branches
are Naturally the least nurtured portions of
plant, and the young leaves formed at such
spots have great tendency to assume brown
or pinky hue; Furthermore, these spots are
exactly the places where flowers are formed
nOWelS being, as we saw above, mere cOlIec-
tlOnS OF abOrted leaves, destined to fulfil the
functions of parents for future generations at
the point where the vigorous growth of the
original plant is beginning to fail. Nothing
CAN be more natural, therefore, than that the
nOWer-leaVeS should show an original tenden-
cy 10 exhibit brilliant hueS: tendency which
would OF course be strengthened by natural
selection II 1t gave the plant and its descend
ans any superiority over others in the struggle
for life. 1t should be remembered, too that the
flower differs from the leaf in the fact that it is
not self-suppOlting. The green portions of a
plant are ltS mouths ana stomach they are
perpetIally engaged in aSSimllating from the
ntted for Its growth. But the flower is pure
~ expensive structure; it does not feed itself:
II is led by other portions OF the plant. 1t uses
up, ID the act Of growing and expanding ener-
gieS derived from the food which has been
stored up by the chlorophyll elsewhere. Ac-
cOidlngly, We might expect its pigment TO pre-
sent that less energetic, more WORKOUT form
which produces the brighter hueS of autumn
and The PINK tips OF growing bOugh. From
Whatever point of view we regard it, we see
tlat Hover is naturally supplied with some
colOllng matter less active than that green
substance which forms the aSsimlative agency
Ia common leaves. Ii is easy, therefore, 10
guess how certain plants may have acquired
The hrSt tlrge OF color around their organs of
of insects by their superior brilliancy.-I me
COr7lliH Nugdz inc.