It is electricity that, as I have said, gives colour to plants. Their
varied tints depend on the sympathy or attraction of their electricity
to sun and light electricities. Particular parts of the plant, from the
nature of their fibre, have the power to attract larger portions than
others of the colouring electricities.
When it is wished to produce different colours in the flower other
electricities are used, with or without those producing variety of form.
The electricities for producing colours are contained in small pouches,
as many in number as the colours we desire to produce. Then, being
placed together at the base of the flower-pot, each on the particular
part of the "flower form" which is to be affected, their orifices are
opened and the contents of each one are instantaneously emitted.
Most plants are susceptible of every variety of colour; thus are
produced roses, pink, blue, green, lilac, brown, fire-colour, and
sun-colour, which last is a colour so brilliant that the eye that has
long gazed upon it stands in need of repose.
Amongst the electricities for giving colours is sun electricity,
received in different ways. Again, the electricities of some birds give
lovely colours; and so does that of the gold-fish. Moss gives a colour
resembling fire-sparks. Frogs produce a beautiful violet.
Where the flowers and leaves have not a decided perfume of their own, we
can give a beautiful fragrance to either, though not to both on the same
plant. To produce this result, we inoculate the plant with certain
fragrant gases. Our dahlias, unlike yours, yield a highly fragrant and
delightful perfume.
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The plants treated by us in these ways are fitly called flowers,
presenting as they do a mass of blossoms and exhaling delicious
perfumes. They act, mediately or immediately, on the concentrated light
of the organization through the nerves of smell, as beautiful sounds
through the medium of the ear, or as beautifully harmonised colours
through the eye. You will recollect that a modification of concentrated
light is supposed to be the link through which the soul communicates its
impressions to the brain, on whose divisions it is made to act in
electric forms.
Besides an infinite variety of flowers, we produce every variety of
colour and perfume in the leaves of the evergreens which adorn our
streets and habitations, emitting healthy and refreshing fragrance,
increased by every movement of the wind.
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