53 



protects the others in the liud, and consequently is at first 

 somewhat green in the early state. As a consequence while 

 this banner is never really yolhnv, yet the chlorophyl green 

 in dissolving often leaves a trace of it sufficient to affect 

 the subsequent colors, which from this cause are frequently 

 of the xanthic series, while those of the wings and keel are 

 of the cyanic series. I have never (observed them to be in 

 the reverse order ! Of course the banner may be pink and 

 the lower parts white, or the fiower wholly white, but when 

 the xanthic colors do appear they are invariably up[)crmost. 



Flowers for the most })art have their peculiar, stable and 

 uniform colors, as in the wild rose, buttercup, strawberry, 

 etc. ; the number in which important variations have oc- 

 curred is, however, considerable ; and while different species 

 do not always have different colors, yet if a plant is found 

 with an entirely different hue, the probability is that if it 

 persists and nudti plies that it will also show^ other character- 

 istics, as differences in sha})e of leaf, or habit, sufficient to 

 entitle it to the rank of variety or incipient species. — But 

 why one tlower is yellow and another blue is a difficult 

 question to answer categorically. One might as well en- 

 quire why one plant produces gum, another sugar, a third 

 oil, others acids or alkalies, and a hundred other special 

 products. Of course one does nf)t expect to find as impor- 

 tant changes in the physical conditions and chemical projjcr- 

 ties of the plant to produce the ordinary color })igments as 

 the former products. 



Green is par excellence the color of growth and vegetation, 

 whether in leaf, flower or fruit; hence while growing and 

 until they reach their normal size, flower buds and fruits 

 alike are green, and naturally from this chlorophyl-green, 

 with additions, or from its derivatives, or from pigments 

 entirely independent of it, develop finally the numberless 

 hues of flowers and fruits ; for this reason we have in this 

 essay given green a prominent [)lace as a primitive color, 

 while not overlooking the fact that tlu^ greater part of all 



