Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-10-27
WnY ! rArns runs ..vD rAIl.
DR. Barton Explains the Causes Of brilliant
ooiorsd Foliage In the Autumn.

pothny az tne oonns nophinS, UNI
yersity, says IN regaro 70 tne iaiiihg 81
tne leaves IN autumn ana me primary
colors characteristic OF so many Oh
eiie an 80,
Inc ieaves Oh most OF our trees ieil
III Tue AUTUMN pecause ~ wouio pe
poor econonly on III 1ne part 9, the piant
10 lotain tiieni. Ahey wouiu DC worn
anu TORN " inc coiu' ihe SHOWS, sne
sieet ana tne gale5 OF tne narsner
period OF the year. me woiSht on tne
snow ana sleet Woula preak me limbs,
ana the winter gales would tear them
70 shrods OF dry them INTO prittie ano
useless appenaages. Note the trees
tnat hoid 10 lholr ienVes "a winter--
the evefgroens-an IL VIII PC seen
that such leaves are tough ana
ieathery, else reduced 10 mere noeoies,
as n tne pines u.
MOST trees, therefore, snea theIr
leayes' cast tnen OF ny hI uco " an
putation or sloughing, and cover the
scar Win layer OF cork, Wnicn Stops
pleeuing ana excl9ues hurelul spores or
germs. But before tney iali tney
assume the splendid colors ior whicn
We arc Just now watchipg from gay TO
day-such wondrous Color aisplays as
atone IN part ior tne loss o. suinIne5
and the dreaded sight OF plue-nosea
winter standing Just beyond;
Inc strnngest part OF these yearly
shows OF brilliant foliage which nature
offers IS that 1t all seems to be without
put u, 1T has no SPECIAL biological
significance. 1t IS mere incident IN
the later life and the death OF the
organs OF allurements to insects, birds,
&c., which visit them for their honey,
and, in return, render the service OF
pollination Color in fruit likewise
makes 1t conspicuous and secures free
transportation by sundry animals,
which thus scatter the seed. But the
hues OF autumn foliage, mean little
more In the lives Of the plants than do
the color OF precipitates in the test
tubes OF the chemist. ~.
10 understand these color changes in
the dying leaf we must know some,
thing OF the purpose and function OF
healthy, active leaves. This function
in not, as is SO often said, to give
shade, whether to the plant itself or to
man and beast. LII they shade the
roots and SO economize water, this is
only bytthe way, and not the important
role they play in the life of the plant.
The plant gets its food from the
earth and the air. These are the raw
materials, salts of the soil dissolved in
water and oxygen and carbonic acid
gas free in the atmosphere. These
simple substances are received in the
leaves and spread out with the green
substances of the leaf cells to the
action Of the SUMS rays, and are thus
| converted into the complex organic
| products upon which the plant de-
| ponds for its growth and upon which
animals can live. The leaf green or
chlorophyll is the substance upon
which all this complicated chemistry
depends, and has, therefore, been
spoken of as the most important of all
known compounds, for life as we know
it could not exist without it. With
out light, however, and a certain high
temperature the chlorophyll would
avail nothing.
"Leaves may be likened not inaptly
| to factory or a kitchen, or vet to a
laboratory, operating only in summer
| time, when the sun is bright and the
| air il warm. Then it is that a number
Of definite products are manufactured
and transported back through leaf
stalk and stem to parts where thew
may be Immediately needed for growth,
else to be stored for future use,
"As autumn comes on, the nights grow
chill and conditions become unfayor-
able, preparations are set on foot to
| stop work and to DESTROY the factory.
| AZ This period the factory il more or
| less filed. with manufactured goods
I t1~DN%S