248 THE FLORIST AND 
GRAFTING BEETS. 
At tlie beginning of September, 1853, Dr. Allan Maclean, of Colchester, 
an ingenious experimentalist and good physiologist, grafted a young plant 
of the White Silesian Beet upon a root of Red Beet, and vice versa. At 
the time of the experiment the plants were each about as thick as a straw. 
A complete junction was effected. There was a slight contraction at the 
line of junction, much like that formed by "chocking" a rocket-case; 
above the line of contraction the plant was absolutely white, below it was 
absolutely red. Not a trace of blending the two colors could be discovered. 
By similar experiments on either vegetables or plants. Dr. Maclean had so 
far assured himself of the perfect independence of scion and stock as to 
acquire the belief that neither the coloring nor any specific characters of 
one or the other would or could be altered by their union. The result of 
the trial wholly confirmed that view, and demonstrated that the White Beet 
adhered to the Red Beet by mere junction of cellular matter ; that of the 
scion and stock holding together in the first instance, and each afterwards 
produced its own coloring matter in its own new cells as they formed 
superficially, the red cells adhering to the Avhite cells while in the nascent 
state, but retaining each the peculiarity belonging to it, without any inter- 
change of contents through the sides of the cells in contact. 
This is entirely consistent with all that has been discovered by the 
modern physiologists who have applied themselves to the study of the 
nature of the individual cells of which plants consist. They have clearly 
shown that each cell has its own special inherent of secretion ; as, 
indeed, may be seen by any one who examines thin sections of variegated 
leaves or other parts. It will then be seen that some cells are filled with a 
red coloring matter, others with yellow, others with green. In other words, 
one cell has the power of secreting red matter, another yellow, and so on. 
The colors do not run together, but are contained each within the cell that 
produces it ; why this is no one knows ; all that we are acquainted with is 
the fact that in the cells of the Red Beet resides a power of forming red 
matter, and in those of the White Silesian Beet that of forming yellow ; 
and this peculiarity is not affected by the one growing to the other. Red- 
forming cells produce their like, and yellow-forming theirs. Thus the limit 
between the scion and its stock is unmistakably traceable, and notwith- 
standing the combination of the two sorts in one, each perseveringly retains 
that which is natural to it. 
