110 



PBACTIGAL [aUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS 



AUTUMN TINTS 



While the spring-time is remarkable for the beautiful and brilliant 

 greens of the foliage of the numerous trees and shrubs which have 

 awakened from their winter sleep, the autumn is no less remarkable 

 for the great change of colouring that has come over this same foliage. 

 In a few short months from May to October, the leaves have been hard 

 at work assimilating food and building up the tissues of the plants. 

 When they burst from their protecting winter buds, either from the 

 branches or the seeds, they proceed to perform their natural functions 

 with the greatest energy. But as the hot summer approaches, and 

 then the autumn with its shorter days, the energy of the protoplasm 

 (see p. 22) within the cells gradually subsides and ultimately ceases 

 altogether in the case of those leaves which are termed • deciduous ' or 

 that remain on the branches but one season. 



It is unnecessary to dilate here upon the scientific reasons as to the 

 falling of the leaves in autumn ; but it may be remarked that all the 

 food manufactured for the plants is not wasted by the dropping of the 

 foliage. Before this it has been drafted down the stems and to the 

 roots in the case of perennials and root crops by means of the fibre 

 bundles referred to at p. 30 as composing the main nerves and veins 



