Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 300, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1916 — THE COLORS OF FLOWERS [ARTICLE]

THE COLORS OF FLOWERS

How They Alter by Cultivation—Some Familiar Instances. In general all the of the same species in the wild state have the same color. For example, all plants of crowfoot or buttercup and dandelion have yellow flowers. In a few species different colors are found. For example, the flowers of the milkwort mtf/b'd blue, violet, red of, white. Much greater variation is shown by cultivated plants. In these the variation of color of the flowers appeared long ago, but in recent years many new colors have been produced which had either not hitherto been observed or which if they did appear occasionally were not selected for preservation and development. The floriculturists of the present day, says the Umschau, carefully observe and endeavor to fix every new shade, even if it is' not particularly beautiful, foj the desideratum is novelty, and there is no telling what will please popular taste. A species of primrose in the wild state always has lemon yellow flowers, which vary only slightly t£ tint. Cultivation has produced both lighter and darker shades, but until recently no color but yellow. Henqe it was the more surprising when, a few years ago, .a pure blue variety was produced, which has since retained Its general color but has developed all shades, from the palest sky blue of the cornflower. Chinese primrose, when cultivated in the garden, bore until recently only red and white flowers. In this species also other colors have lately been produced, not only* violet but also blue, though not So pure a blue as that of the species first mentioned. Another example is offered by the gladiolus, which formerly bore only white and red flowers, but has receaUy developed a blue flowering variety. A case of a somewhat different character is presented by the asters, which have long shown a great variety of colors, but in which recently a great many new shades have been produced, including some which wduld not at one time have been considered beautiful; for example, copper color.

Very numerous, on the other hand, are the species which have long shown great variation in color and have recently developed many new shades, with the exception of blue. Especially ‘conspicuous is the dahlia, which is now found in every color except blue, although many propagators are making earnest efforts to produce a blue dahlia, which would bring great profit to its originator. A blue carnation would be equally valuable, but it has not. yet been produced, although the colors of carnations have lately been enriched by many now shades. The new varities of canna also show great diversity of color, including almost pure white and a beautiful light pink, but a blue canna has not yet appeared. ■ In the begonia not only blue is lacking but also all shades from red to violet. Finally we may mention the variety of poppy called the Shirley, which is greatly admired for its play of color. Here however,' the colors range only from white to rose and vermillion. Blue and violet colors are completely wanting, and so is yellow, which in very common in the begonia. Finally there are species,which, notwithstanding many years of cultivation, have shown little variation in the color of their flowers or have produced only new shades but mew colors. Among thefsfe are the fucKSias, which show only various shades of red. A blue or a yellow fuchsia would be a curiosity. Another example is furnished by Cyclamen persicum, in which many years of cultivation have only changed the original color scheme of a dark red throat and a white or pink tip so far as to deepen the red throat to crimson and almost to violet, and on the other hand to effect it altogether, producing a pure white flower. Quite recently, however, an approximation to a yellow has been obtained by the production of a salmon pink cyclamen. Similar cases are furnished by the Alpine forget-me-not; in which merely the shade of the original blue color has been slightly altered by cultivation, and by the marigold, the colors of which vary only from yellow and orange to brown. From the foregoing remarks it Is evident that although very many new colors have recently been produced by cultivation in the flowers of numerous species of plants the or* nthese changes is entirely dependent upon the original predisposition to variation possessed by the plant. Without these tendencies to variation no new color can be produced, either bv the<gardener or by natural selection,: fob if there is no variation selection is impossible.