The anatomy of plants

HE last general Enquiry proposed to be made, was this, After what manner they would exhibite themselves upon the Mixture of those Infusions, or of any one of them with some other Liquor.

2. §. A strong Infusion, or the Juyce of the Leavs of Rose-Tree, Raspis, Strawberry, Cynquefoyle, Goosberry, Primrose, Jerusalem Cowslip, Bears-eare, Bearsfoot, Peony, Bistort, Lawrel, Goats-beard, droped upon Steel, make a Purple Tincture. But that of Vine Leaves scarce maketh any Tincture at all. So that there is something else besides Sowerness concurring to the Purple upon Steel.

3. §. Saccharum Saturni droped on a Tincture of Red Roses, turneth it to a faint pale Green.

4. §. Salt of Tartar droped upon the same Tincture, turneth it to a deeper Green.

5. §. Spirit of Harts Horn droped upon a Tincture of the Flower of Lark-heel and Borage turn them to a verdegreese Green.

6. §. Spirit of Harts Horn droped on most green Leavs doth not change them at all. The like Effects have Aq. Calcis, and Spirit of S. Armoniac.

7. §. These Experiments seem to confirm, That it is some Alkaline or other like Salt in the Aer, which is predominant in the production of Green in the Leavs of Plants.

8. §. Salt of Tartar droped on the white Flowers of Daisy, changeth them into a light Green. Which as it further confirms the aforesaid Position; so likewise argues, That Whiteness in Flowers, is not always from the defect of Tincture: but that there may be White, as well as Yellow, Green, Red or Blew Tinctures.

9. §. Spirit of Sulphur droped on the green Leavs of Adonis Flower, Everlasting Pease, and Holy Oak, turns them all Yellow.

10. §. Spirit of Sulphur on a Tincture of Saffron changeth it not.

11. §. Spirit of Sulphur on the Yellow Flower of Crowfoot alters them not. Neither are they changed by the Affusion of Alkalies.

12. §. So that it seemeth, that in all Yellows, the Sulphureous Acid and Alkaline Parts are all more equal.

13. §. Spirit of Sulphur on a Tincture of Violets turns it from Blew to a true Lacke, or midle Crimson.

14. §. Spirit of Sulphur upon a Tincture of Clove-July-Flowers makes a bright blood Red. Into the like Colour, it hightens a Tincture of Red Roses.

15. §. So that as Alkalys, or other Analogous Salts, are predominant in Greens, so Acids in Reds, especially in the brighter Reds, in the Leavs and Flowers of Plants. Hence it is, that Spirit of Nitre droped upon the Blew Flower of Ladies Looking-Glass, Larkspur, Borage, turns them all Red, sc. into the Red of Common Lychnis. But (which is particularly to be noted) being droped on the said Red Flowers of Lychnis, alters them little or nothing: because, that very Colour is therein produced by a copious admixture of the like Principle.

16. §. The Summ therefore of what hath now been said, of the Causes of Vegetable Colours, is this: That while their Sulphur and Saline Principles, only swim together, and are not as yet united into one Precipitate, no Colour results from them, but the Contents are rather Limpid; as usually in the Root, and many other Parenchymous Parts.

17. §. When they are united, and the Alkaline are predominant, they produce a Green.

18. §. When the Sulphur and the Alkaline are more equal, they produce a Tauny.

19. §. When the Sulphur, Acid and Alkaline, there a Yellow.

20. §. When the Sulphur predominant, and the Acid and Alkaline equal, there a Blew.

21. §. When the Sulphur and Acid are predominant to the Alkaline, then a Purple.

22. §. When the Sulphur predominant to the Alkaline and the Acid to them both, a Scarlet.

23. §. Lastly, When the Acid predominant to the Alkaline, and the Sulphur to them both, a Blood-Red: which is the highest and most Sulphurious Colour in Nature.

24. §. From the Premises, divers Rules do also result for the making of Tinctures, either for Medicines, or for any other purposes.

25. §. I shall only add one or two Notes. As first, that of all Colours, Yellows are the most fixed and unfading. As for instance, if you drop either a Solution of Tartar, or of Spirit of Sulphur upon a Tincture of the Yellow Flowers of Crowfoot, of Adonis, or of Saffron, neither of them will alter their Colour. Which shewes the strength of most Yellows, to resist all manner of impressions from the Aer.

26. §. Again, that the use of Salts, is not only to highten or deepen Colours, but also to fix and make them permanent. As for Instance, The Tincture of Clove-July-Flowers, made either with Water or Spirit of Wine being exposed to the Aer, will often turn into a Blackish Purple. But the addition of a few drops of Spirit of Sulphur, doth not only highten the Colour, but renders it stable and permanent.

27. §. Likewise, of Salts themselves there is choice to be made. For there are some, which although they fix the Colour, yet, will a little give, as we say, and not hold throughly dry; as most Lixivial Salts, and Stillatious Acids. But there are some Salts, which will not give in the least, as Alum, that in Lime-Water and some others; which latter, is so far from being moystened, that it is rather petrified by the Aer. For which reason I take it to be one of the best Liquors for a stable and permanent Green, and some other Colours.

28. §. Amongst all Water-Colours, the rarest, and most difficult to make clear bright and permanent, is a Blew. There are many Flowers of an excellent Blew, as those of Bugloss, Lark-heel and others; but they easily fade. And there are very few Flowers that will strike into a Blew by any Liquor; being almost all changeable into Green, Purple or Red. Yet some few there are, in which this Colour may be produced. As for instance, the Flower of Lathyrus or Parseverlasting; which upon the affusion of Spirit of Harts-Horn is changed from a Peach, to as pure a Blew, as the best Ultramarine: that which hitherto is, I think, wanting in Water Colours. Spirit of Harts Horn was the Liquor I used; but I question not, but that other Alkalies, and particularly Lime-Water, will have the like Effect, and so render it the more stable.

29. §. From what hath been said, we may likewise be confirmed in the use of the already known Rules, and directed unto others yet unknown, in order to the variation of the Colours of Flowers in their Growth. The effecting of this, by putting the Colour desired in the Flower, into the Body or Root of the Plant, is vainly talked of by some: being such a piece of cunning, as for the obtaining a painted face, to eat good store of white and Red Lead.

30. §. The best known Rules are these Two; First, that the Seed be used above any other part, if the variation of the Colour be intended. One reason whereof is, because that part being but very small, the Tinctures of the Soyl will have the greater over proportion to those of the Seed. Besides, the tender and Virgin Seed, being committed to the Soyl, will more easily take any peculiar Tincture from it, then an other Part, which is not so susceptive, and hath been tinctur’d already. All the strange varieties in Carnations, Tulips, and other Flowers are made this way.

31. §. The other Rule is, To change the Soyl, or frequently to transplant from one Bed to another. By which means, the Plant, is as it were, superimpregnated with several Tinctures, which are prolifick of several Colours; which way is taken for Roots and Slips.

32. §. The consideration whereof, and of the foregoing Experiments, may direct us not only in changing the Bed, but also in compounding the Soyl, as by mixing such and such Salts, or Bodies impregnated with such Salts, I say by mixing these Bodies in such a proportion, with the Soyl, as although they have no Colour in themselves, yet may be effectual to produce a great variety of Colours in the Plants they nourish; supplying the Plants with such Tinctures, as shall concur with the Aer, to strike or precipitate their Sulphur into so many several Colours, after the manner above explicated: and so to bring even Natures Art of Painting, in a great part, into our own power.