The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-08

teal function which is of the utmos
Importance to plants and animals
| Without the biological and chemica
activity of the chlorophyll cell uniyer
| sal starvation would take place.
''The colors of the petals of flowers
are due to mixtures of the different
kinds Of coloring matter already men
| toned, the petals being nothing more
than eolored leaves. Grass could only
be made red by converting the chloro-
phyll which it contains into erythror
phyll. The tint of grass often changes
Sometimes it ID almost yellow, at other
times deep green, again almost blue and
now and then red tints appear. 1t
would not be possible, however, to make
red grass without changing the bio
logical functions of the plant in some
way, and this would be a slow process
and practically impossible.
THE horticulturist and the gardener
understand the possibility of variation
in plant colors, and exercise all their
arts for changing the natural colors
which plants present. These changes
are produced by propagating, also by
changing the quantity and quality of
plant food, and also by exposing plants
to different intensities Of light. 1t is
well known that the green chlorophylI
does not develop in the dark. Cholo-
phyll when kept In the dark changes
into leucophyll, or white coloring mat
ter Plants grown in the dark are said
to be etiolated. The green color is not
developed, but such plants are not per-
tectiy normal, and often develop chemi-
cal constituents which the normal plant
does not possess BY taking advantage
Of these principles the horticulturist and
the gardener produce fantastic colors
and seem to change natures method OF
painting plants. All unusual peculiar
colors must be regarded to a certain
extent as abnormal.
Plants, like animals, display atavism
and often develop qualities which they
inherit from ancestors many generations
back. Plants, like animals, also tend to
revert to primitive forms, so that the
beautiful carnations, roses and chrysan-
themums If left to nature would grad
ually revert to primitive and less beau
tlful forms. All these changes in plants
are largely influenced by the food that
is fed to them hence the chemist has
quite as much to do with it as the bot
anist or biologist, Grating and culture
from cuttings rather than from seeds
also adds to the variations.
1T would be quite possible to make
blue or green carnation So far no limit
is known to accidental variation The
most unexpected freaks occur in plant
life, as among men, and if such an ac-
ctdental variation should occur by cut
ting, grating or other methods of prop
agation, the tendency to produce it may
be developed. 1t Is not an impossible
problem, although it depends largely
upon accident The variegated coors
of foliage plants are due to the distribu-
ton of the coloring matter above men
toned, namely, the different phyllis in
localities and in mixtures.
Roses are red because the coIoring
matter is of the erythrophyll variety,
and violets are blue because the coloripg
matter absorbs other rays and reflects
the blue one. In fact, all colors are due
to the power which certain bodies have
to absorb certain rays and reflect others
The leaf is green because all other rays
Of light are absorbed and green is re-
fected. The leaf is green because it
has an affinity for green. All colors |
look alike in the absence of light be- |
cause in that case there is neither re- |
lection nor absorption. Why the rose is |
red and the violet blue, except for the |
/ have given, is beyond hui |
nan knowledge. and I must refer you |
% the Creator for better explanation. |
There are accidental variations which |
20 beyond the power Of man to explain, |
md some of them have been developed
~ careful culture and selection on the
,art OF man.
Fruit trees which belong to the same
senus can be made to bear different
linds of fruit by grating Fer in
tance, different kinds of apples can be
made to grow upon the same tree and
'ears and other similar fruits may grow
lpon the same stock by grating. The |
principle which determines the charac-
er of the fruit is in the extreme tip or
ud or leaf, and not in the trunk or |
oot Why and how the principle prop
gates itself and embraces every branch |
hat may grow from the original graft
5 one of the secrets of nature. The sap |
as nothing to do with It, but the whole
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