Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 23.djvu/857

Rh structures now special to a higher group, that of the cuttle-fishes. The bald and contemptuous negation of these facts by Haeckel and other biologists does not tend to give geologists much confidence in their dicta.



HEN we contemplate the extraordinary diversity of colors offered to us by the numberless flowers and fruits, ranging through all possible gradations from the purest white to the most intense black, we can do no less than admire so surprising a wealth of color-shades, and are naturally prompted to imagine that chemical processes influence their tone and effect the manifold changes. Although we are able to pursue the chemical processes occasioning changes of color in the mineral kingdom—we know, for instance, those occurring during the conversion of the white color of silver chloride into black—those in the living plant, whereby equally striking changes are effected, are unfortunately hidden from our scrutiny. For instance, we do not know the process which causes the immature fruit of the prune-tree to pass from the brightest of green, through the most varying gradations of color into light red, and finally deep dark blue; although we know that during the process of maturing the percentage of starch is by the aid of the vegetable acids of the fruit gradually converted into sugar, still, this phenomenon is not sufficient to throw light on so extraordinary an alteration of hues. To the operation of light is ascribed an essential influence in determining the vegetable colors; but that vegetable pigments can also be produced without light is shown by the yellow turnips, carrots, alkanet-roots and other roots, all of which develop their colors within the soil. Not only the light in general, but also its volume, appear to exert an influence upon the intensity of these pigments and their hues. This fact is confirmed by the intense and lively colors of flowers blossoming upon high mountains, and the increase of the flower pigment of the same species of plants with the augmenting elevation, with otherwise the same properties of soil and location. This increase of the pigments, such as is observed upon the Alps and other high mountains, stands most assuredly in connection with the stronger sun radiation at great height. It has further been proved that, under the influence of the almost uninterrupted duration of light during the short Scandinavian summer, many garden flowers of Central Europe gradually increase in intensity after having been acclimatized in Norway. Imported seeds of winter wheat, corn, peas, and beans, grow darker from year to year, until they have finally assumed the hue of native productions. Not alone do flowers, seeds, 