1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



635 



be stacked as fast as pulled. They should 

 always be handled by the roots. When the 

 stacks are thoroughly dry, they may be taken 

 to the barn whole, by pulling the stakes from 

 the ground. 



AUTUMN TINTS. 

 Mr. H. C. SoRiJY, who has for some time 

 been engaged in investigating the coloring 

 matters in plants, has recently pubhshed the 

 results of his researches jn several English 

 scientific works and given a summary of them 

 in "iVrtf«<re," from which we gather the follow- 

 ing conclusions. 



He divides the different coloring matters 

 found in leaves as follows: — 1. The Cliloro- 

 pJiijU group, containing the dark green; 2. 

 The Xantlioplujll group, which contains, with 

 some other rarer forms, two shades of oi'ange 

 common in leaves ; 3. The Eryth7'ophijU group, 

 which contains a number of colors ; but those 

 met with in leaves are more or less purple, 

 made bluer by alkalis and redder by acids ; 

 thus plants containing the same color of this 

 group may vary much in tint by the varying 

 amount of free acid ; 4. The Chrysotaimin 

 group, containing many yellows, some very 

 pale and others of a golden yellow; 5. The 

 Phaiophyll group comprising the brown colors. 

 Thus the many tints of foliage depend on 

 the relative amount of the various colors of 

 the several groups mentioned. The color of 

 green leaves is mainly due to a mixture of 

 chlorophyll and xanthophyll, and the different 

 shades of green is owing to the relative amount 

 of these two primary coloring matters, and 

 the other colors of leaves are occasioned by 

 the preponderance of coloring matter from 

 the other groups and the alteration by chemi- 

 cal action of the chlorophyll. So long as the 

 chlorophyll remains green and fresh, the other 

 colors ai*e impossible, but as it disappears, the 

 yellow color of the xanthophyll appears, and 

 if much erythrophyll is present its color com- 

 bines with the yellow and gives the scarlet and 

 red tints. When the chlorophyll does not 

 disappear, but is modified by acids to its dark 

 olive form, only the dull tints come out on the 

 leaves. 



"We may thus easily understand why the 

 special tints of early autumn are yellow and 

 red, or dull and dark green. In these changes 

 the various pale yellow substances of the 



chrysotannin group remain comparatively un- 

 altered, and even sometimes increase in quan- 

 tity ; but they soon pass into the much darker 

 red-browns of the phaiophyll group, whilst 

 the erythrophyll fades ; and thus later in the 

 autumn the most striking tints are the brighter 

 or duller browns, characteristic of the differ- 

 ent kinds of plants or trees. ***** 

 "As far as we are able to judge of the vari- 

 ous facts described, we must look upon the 

 more characteristic tints of foliage of early 

 spring as evidence of the not yet matured vital 

 powers of the plant. In summer the deeper 

 and clearer greens are evidence of full vigor 

 and high vitality, which not only resist, but 

 also actually overcome the powerful affinity 

 of oxygen. Later on, the vital powers are 

 diminished, and partial changes occur, but the 

 affinity of the oxygen of the atmosphere is 

 nearly balanced by the weakened but not de- 

 stroyed vitality. At this stage the beautiful 

 red and yellow tints are developed, which pro- 

 duce such fine effects of scenery. Then comes 

 death, when the aflfinity of oxygen acts with- 

 out opposition, and the various brown tints of 

 later autumn make their appearance, due to 

 changes which we can imitate in our experi- 

 ments with dead compounds. This may not 

 be a pleasing way of viewing an otherwise 

 charming subject, but I think that it is sub- 

 stantially true." 



AGRICULTUKAL ITEMS. 

 —Mr. J. C. Oliver suggests that the bulk of 

 butter exhibited at our fairs be protected by glass, 

 with small samples placed so that visitors could 

 test and examine them. 



—A Western paper says that the farmers of Jas- 

 per county, Missouri, are offering their com on the 

 stalk at ten cents per bushel. It is so abundant 

 that some think it will not pay to gather it. 



—The newest wonder at the "West is a soda lake 

 near Rawlings, on the Union Pacific Railroad, sev- 

 eral miles in circumference, and capable of supply- 

 ing 65,000 tons of soda a year. 



—The editor of the Germantown Telegraph says 



he has raised the Buerre Clairgeau pear, recently 



figured in the Farmer, for years apparently in 



perfection, judging from its size and rosy cheeks, 



j but has never had one yet that was fit to eat. 



—In a description of Robert Leeds' farm at 

 Castle Acre, in Norfolk, Eng., Mr. Geo. H. Cook, 

 ! of the New Jersey Agricultural College says, in 

 I the Country Gentleman, "The farm lies in the chalk 

 I district, and the soil is everywhere underlain by 

 , that substance, which is only a foot or two beneath 



