480 WILD FLOWERS OF 



The Lime is almost always denuded the first, and the 

 Ash follows a sharp frost often bringing down its 

 entire foliage at one fall, and hence its sensitiveness 

 prevents the exhibition of those gorgeous hues borne 

 by other trees, the leaves (either green or yellow) 

 very often curling up as if scorched. At a later 

 period, however, the " keys," or seed-vessels of the 

 ash, which remain till spring, give a characteristic 

 aspect to the individuals that bear them. The autum- 

 nal splendour of every other tree fades before that of 

 the beech, which continues the longest of all, and 

 under particular circumstances is of the most brilliant 

 description. This arises from its lucid leaves, which 

 vary in hue from auburn to gold-colour and umber, 

 reflecting back the level rays of the descending sun, 

 and thus burning with pre-eminent lustre, like a sud- 

 den illumination. Blazing characters irradiate the 

 grove wherever the beech presents, in spectral pomp, 

 its vivid outline ; and if a passing raincloud, shroud- 

 ing for a moment the tree tops, bears upon its purple 

 breast the glowing Iris, with one limb intermingled 

 with the golden foliage, the splendid effect will long 

 rest upon the memory of the spectator. 



Several chemists have amused themselves in at- 

 tempting to account for the colours produced in 

 autumnal foliage, but no precise result of importance 

 seems to have been arrived at. BERZELITJS having 

 found a peculiar colouring matter in red fruits, sug- 

 gests that this must be common to the fruit and 

 leaves, as trees with red fruit have also red leaves in 

 autumn. This appears merely fanciful, for though 

 certain trees with red fruit have also red leaves, all 

 trees with red leaves have not red fruit, as may be 



