The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1904-09-10
FLOWERS THAT GIVE LIGHT
Phosphorescent Glow Emitted by
Australian Species on Sum-
mer Evenings.

AusCrauau species on 0um.
mer Evenings.
When Visiting San Francisco a few
years ago the present park commission
er of Philadelphia, Mr.. Mauriceson, OBJ
served in the Golden Gate park OBJ
servatory a species of Australian pop
by which emitted constant and steady
glow at night, writes John A. Morris
IN no San Francisco Chronicle. AS Mr..
Mauriceson was aware that intermit-
tent light-producing flowers existed,
the constant radiation from these flow
ers caused him to think he was the vic
tim of some practical joker, who had
mischievously painted the flowers with
luminous paint. Acting on this idea
he secured one of the luminous plants
and took it to a friend, Mr.. Daniels,
an amateur microscopic, who made a
thorough and careful examination Of
the flower, and informed Mr.. Maurice
son that there was no foreign SUBJ
stance of the kind he suspected in it.
This phosphoresence of flowers Is
one of the most interesting studies
known to science; and it was the
daughter of the Swedish naturalist,
Lnneaus, who first called attention to
the fact that certain flowers are able
to shine by their own light Early one
June morning, 1852, while walking in
her garden, she first discovered radia-
ton of light from number of nastur-
tiums. These observations she con-
tinued during June and July, and
found these radiations occurred in the
morning or in the evening twilight.
The same phenomena have been OBJ
served in the corolla of the sunfiower,
the French and African marigold, the
yellow lily, the dahlia, the tuberose and
the four-o'clock. The most luminous
OF these, however, are said to be the
yellow of the orange-colored flowers.
Sir Isaac Newton says: THE most
luminous of the prismatic colors are
the yellow and the orange; these affect
the senses more strongly than all the
rest together"
Prof. Haggern writes: "The lumin-
GUS radiations of the marigold have
found to be the most brilliant, next to
which ! place the light given out by the
nasturtium, and, third, that of the yell
low lily. A careful microscopic ex-
animation has convinced me that the
light does not depend upon the pres
ence of any animal organism"
Prof. Haggern's first observation of
the light emanating from flowers oc-
CURED one evening when wandering
through his garden. 1t was flash of
light which repeatedly darted from
marigold in the center of the garden.
Thinking it an optical illusion, he sta
toned the gardener in the Immediate
vicinity. aud told him to throw his
hand the moment the light appeared.
The man obeyed and his signals corre-
sponded exactly with the professors
own observations. He records the fact
that the illuminations OF the marigolds
OF an orange or flame color were the
most brilliant, while those of the pale
flowers could scarcely be seen. Prof.
Haggem thinks that the light was cleo
trical. and says that 1t was very much
like that emitted by small Crookes
or Geisller tube when a current of |
electricity is passed through it,"
Scientists. however, have disposed of |
that theory by immersing these light |
giving flowers in jars of oxygen gas.
when. we are assured. the light is much
more brilliant, while in other gases.
such as nitrogen or carbonic, no light
Is visible.
An emerald-green cavern moss called |
'chistostega osmundacae gives out by
is root-hairs brilliant yellow light
Even decayed potatoes or other vege-
ables become fertile fields for the ex-
libition of brilliant phosphorescent
lights. An alarm of fire was once raised
IN the streets of Strasburg, France. by
peasant who saw decaying mass of
potatoes collected in cellar. Some
are phosphorescent- One
u the most beautiful objects in the
world Is the red mushroom of the olive
rees. The gills curve out from the
DOT stalk and expand under the can
nto bell-like or trumpet shane Of
range hue, which changes at night to
pale cobalt blue light, glowing when
hey are grouped together, like fairy
ellis Of bright blue fire.
To the investigator Of such phenom-
ma 1t may be said that the best time
witness flower fire is in July or Au-
ust just after sunset, when the air
} dry and clear. II