Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1883-05-25

through ufS 1olos oI Papsrs anu Prosenteo
@ marvellous appearance, the wood appear
ing at white heat. d. G Beard observed
a curious incident on Long Island in con-
nection With vegetable light. He was
camping out, and some old logs had been
broken in the afternoon and left strewn
about. On waking during the night he
found that they were evidently surrounded
by fire. All about were patches of cleaning g
light blazing like Goals at white heat, pre-
senting decidedly weird appearance, at least
in such close proximity; but upon investiga-
ton it was found to be nothing more nor less
than phosphorescent wood, or 'fox fire,
from the old logs.
These curious lights are often seen in the
woods, especially in the Adirondack region,
where the underbrush is thick with trees that
have been reduFad to powder except the
bark. A number of interesting experiments
have been made to explain the phosphores-
csnce in dscayed wood it has been placed in
different gases and subjected to fire and wa.
ter, with various results. Bockman has
shown that it is luminous in nitrogen and in
vacuum as in pure oxygen. If the tempera-
tura is high the light is extinguished in oxy-
gen gas, while water has no effect upon its
luminous qualities. Moisture greatly inten-
sites the light, and,i Is probable that it is
essential foE its manifestation. The phos-
phorescenco of phanegoranic plants was
first noticed by the daughter of the great
naturalist Linn@us. She was fond of setting
fire to the inhamed atmosphere which snvel-
ops the essential oil glands of fraxinella,
an experiment. that the learned Arago also de-
lighted in, and one evening, while sitting in
her garden, she observed faint sparks dart
ing from and playing about the flowers of a
would resemble a mimic flash OF lightning,
and again the flowers would appear surround
ed by a soft halo of light. These observa-
tions were made in the twilight, during the
months of June and August, in the year
1852. The lady attained the ripe old age of
nlnety-six, often telling of this and the re-
suit of later discoveries. 1t is curious to
note that yellow and orange colors are more
brilliantly phosphorescent than any other,
and this is popularity of both organic and
inorganic objects. Diamonds of topaz or
yellow tints are much more phosphorescen ent
than any others; the spot on firefies is inva-
riably yellow, while the most brilliant of the
light-giving flowers are those of the above
tints. The humble yet esthetic sundower is
often seen bathed with a faint aurora or
emitting sparks from its corolla, and the
same is true of the marigolds (calendula).
Watch them on some warm sultry evening
when the darkness has well set in, and but
little Imagination is required to see, in the
dancing lights that come and go as if on the
wind that rustles through the trees, the cul-
prit fays of childhood's days. The Rose
d'Inde or the Tagetes of the botanist is also
brilliant light-giver as well as the tuberose
the yellow lily and different varieties of mas
turtiums. Professor Haggern, the Swedish
naturalist, observing flashes about marigolds,
at first thought it an optical illusion, but the
phenomenon being repeated on many even
ings, he finally took man with him who was
to make sign if he saw anything unusual,
which he did as the light appeared about the
flowers, both parties observing it simultane-
ously. The lights played about in flames or
flashes, and were of an orange tint. Now it
was Intermittent at intervals of minute,
then came a succession of quick flashes.
These lights were observed about sunset in
July and August, when the atmosphere was
dry, and never after a rain. Professor Hag-
germ also observed the phenomenon upon
the monksheod, the orange lily, and the
French and African marigolds. At first it
was referred to the presence of minute lumi-
nous insects, but careful search failed to
show them, and the naturalist finally con-
cluded that the cause was electric, an opiu-
ion that is still held by all who have OBJ
served the curious occurrence.
The phosphorescence of the oriental pop
py has often been observed, and was first
brought to the notice of scientists by III.
T. Fries, the distinguished botanist Of Sws-
den He was walking alone in the botani-
cal gardens of sBpsal when he noticed curl
GUS flames playing about the flowers of
Papaver orientale. So intense were the
lights that the learned gentleman thought
he must be the victim of an optical illu-
sion and passed by the flowers repeatedly,
standing over them an hour before he
could convince himself that he was actually
observing the phosphorescence of flowers.
The following nights he visited the spot
again, and witnessed the same phenomena,
and than to convince himself he took
servant with him, to whom he had not
mentioned the occurrence The professor
strolied by the poppies as If accidentally,
when the man started back and caught him
by the arm with a cry of alarm, entreating
his master to come away. This established
the fact in the mind of NJ. Fries, and the
garden was thronged by sight-seers, who
every evening gathered around the popPies
and lilies Qilium bulbiferum). In the flow
ers observed by the daughter of Linneus,
the phosphoric light produced was not con-
tinuous it manifested itself in chickering's or
sparks, which were shot out from the corolla
and resembled somewhat those given by an
electric machine. Other observers agree
with these statements, and remark that the
plants in question are most luminous on
calm, sultry evenings, when the air is highly
charged with electricity, and have never
been noticed to emit light when the atmos-
phere is very damp. In the phenomena re-
marked by Fries the phosphorescence of the
flowers always occurred between the hours
1915 and 11:15 in the evening. The wealth
er was warm and sultry, and the luminous
phenomenon was best observed by looking at
a group of poppies without fixing the eyes
upon any one flower in particular.
These phosphorescsnt lights are not con-
fined to the flowers of phanerogaric plants
they have been seen starting about the leaves
of Gnothera macrocarpa. The latex or juice
of certain vegetables becomes phosphoreg-
cent when rubbed or heated. This is es-
pecially remarkable in the cipo or Euphorbia
phosphorea of Brazil and Asia. The plant
grows in great luxuriance in the southern
jungles, and when broken up milky juice
exudes that at night is brilliantly luminous.
Naturalists have described the strange scene
of animals pursued by the natives at night,
dashing through the luxuriant vegetation in
mad terror, and appearing dripping with
streams of living fire from this vine. In one
case tapir seemed literally ahame, drops
standing all over its hide, while entangled
upon its head was mass of this curious fire
plant, blazing and cleaning with phospho
rescence. Curious experiments can be tried
with the milky juice, and the same might be
said of cur common pokewood, which, when
rubbed upon the face or upon the wall, the
marks or characters are reproduced in letters
of living light. Some of the palms also are
light eivers, that of pandanus being especial
" noticeable This is undoubtedly electric,
as tho spark or flash always accompanies the
rupture of the spathe that envelops the
Of a1o,.o