840 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



thine, generally arises from the conversion of the chlorophyl. It occurs 

 most frequently in the form of minute grains ; sometimes also dissolved 

 in the juice. Two anthoxanthines, therefore, must be distinguished in 

 flowers xanthine, which is not soluble in water, and xantheine, which 

 is. The former dissolves with a gold-yellow color in alcohol and ether, 

 is not affected by alkalies or dilute acids, but is colored green or deep 

 indigo-blue by concentrated sulphuric acid. The soluble xantheine is 

 by alkalies changed into brown. In the blue, violet, and red flowers 

 (cornflower, hyacinth, violet, larkspur, sword-lily, rose, in the leaves 

 of the red poppy, etc.), the pigment is found dissolved in the flower- 

 juice almost without an exception. The red pigment of the rose, 

 dahlia, peony, and other flowers, as well as that of violet flowers, is, 

 according to recent observations, only a blue colored into red (antho- 

 cyanogen), by vegetable acids or acid salts. This is plainly proved 

 by the acid reaction of the juice of red flowers, and the occasionally 

 feeble alkaline reaction of blue petals, as I have universally found, with 

 only a few exceptions. 



When contemplating the boundless diversity of the hues of flowers, 

 the very natural question involuntarily arises within us : For whom 

 does the flower blossom in the solitude ? For whom does it bloom in 

 all its lavish beauty ? No human eye beholds it, and yet it is arrayed 

 in a pomp of hues unsurpassable in the dreary solitude, regardless of 

 human applause. Nevertheless, we must not accept the unnoticed 

 wealth of these manifold hues as due to accident ; there is nothing 

 accidental or superfluous in creating Nature, although we fail to per- 

 ceive its purposes ; Nature never wastes its energies in aimless, pur- 

 poseless productions. As the song of the bird ceases when its plum- 

 age is adorned with lustrous, pronounced colors, so also are the colors 

 of the odorous flower found to be more modest when compared with 

 the scentless one, dazzling in the gorgeous brightness of its hues. This 

 well-known, generally correct fact must not be treated as unwor- 

 thy of consideration or due to accident. The firm belief of a defi- 

 nite, well-arranged connection of all earthly occurrences is deeply 

 implanted within our breast. A well-defined law governs the varied 

 hues of flowers, as offered us by the munificence of Nature, and it 

 will, ere long, be revealed unto the eye of the student. 



The truth of the celebrated saying of Justus von Liebig, " The 

 knowledge of Nature is the path that leads us to the admiration of the 

 Creator," is also verified here in the soundless laboratory of the colors 

 of flowers. Wester man?i > s Monatshefte. 



