Influence of Light. 



That light exerts a wonderful and important influence on 

 the growth and prosperity of plants, is a fact that has the un- 

 doubted assent of all observers ; even the sunbeams have been 

 termed the nerves of plants. Light is composed of three rays, 

 red, yellow, and blue, and color is produced from the partial 

 absorption of one or two of these ; the ray thrown back, and 

 not the one received, is the cause of the apparent color, so that 

 all objects in reality are disguised by the dress we see them in. 

 This will be more closely seen by considering that we are all 

 in error, as a general rule, in relation to the color of the negro 

 race ; their skin absorbs all the rays, and throws none of them 

 back, and as the union of these rays is white, so in consequence 

 must that be their real color ; by reversing this process of rea- 

 soning, a white man will become a black one. Like all other 

 organized bodies in which the vital principle is operating, plants 

 require a stated season of repose — this season is called their 

 sleep. Both leaves and flowers usually change their position 

 as soon as it is dark ; in many plants the leaves drop, in others 

 they close, as well as the petals, and nearly all open with the 

 earliest rays of the morning sun ; some of the upper-ten-thou- 

 sand who do not obey this rule, can be seen in the Dial, page 

 33. The direct rays of the sun are necessary to enable plants 

 to decompose carbonic acid gas in any great quantity ; the 

 carbon retained by the plant is the cause of its green color. 

 Monsieur Sennebier is of opinion that this carbon is not black, 

 but of a dark blue color. The cellular tissue of plants is of a 

 yellowish white ; consequently when these minute particles are 

 lodged within the yellow cells, the combination of the two 

 colors produces green, in which the blue or yellow tint prevails 

 in proportion as the carbon or cellular tissue predominates, 

 which well accounts for the pale delicate tint of the spring 

 verdure, when but a small quantity of carbon has been deposi- 



