[125] “It may also be observed that the rays effective in destroying a given tint are, in a great many cases, those whose union produces a colour complementary to the tint destroyed, or at least one belonging to that class of colours to which such complementary tint may be referred. For example, yellows tending towards orange are destroyed with more energy by the blue rays; blue by the red, orange, and yellow rays; purples and pinks by yellow and green rays.”--Sir J. F. W. Herschel, _On the action of the rays of the Solar Spectrum on Vegetable Colours_: Phil. Trans., vol. cxxxiii. 1842. [126] The following memoirs and works are necessary to a complete history of the inquiry:--_Experiments and observations relating to various branches of natural philosophy, with a continuation of the observation on air_: by Dr. Priestley. London, 1779. _Mémoires Physico-chimiques, &c._: by J. Senebier. _Expériences sur les végétaux_, by De la Ville: Paris, 1782; and Phil. Trans. 1782. _Observations sur les expériences de M. Ingenhousz_: by De la Ville; Roz. obs. 23, 290. _Expériences propres à développer les effets de la lumière sur certaines plantes_: by Tessier; Mém. de l’Ac. des Sc. de Paris, 1783, p. 132; Licht. Mag. iv. 4, 146. _Sur la vertu de l’eau impregnée d’air fixe pour en obtenir, par le moyen des plantes et de la lumière du soleil, de l’air déphlogistiqué_: by Ingenhousz; Roz. obs. 24, 337. _Expériences sur l’action de la lumière solaire dans la végétation_: by Senebier; Genève et Paris, 1788, p. 61. _Extrait des expériences de M. Senebier sur l’action de la lumière solaire dans la végétation_: by Hasenfratz; Ann. Chim. iii. 2nd. ser. 266. _Expériences relatives à l’influence de la lumière sur quelques végétaux_: by De Candolle; Jour. de Ph. lii. 124: Voigt’s Mag. ii. 483; Gilb. Ann. xiii. 372; Mém. des Sav. Etr. i. 329. _Recherches chimiques sur la végétation_: by Saussure; Ann. Chim. l. 225; Jour. de Ph. lvii. p. 393; Gilb. Ann. xviii 208. _Recherches sur la respiration des plantes exposées à la lumière du soleil_; by Ruhland; Ann. Ch. Ph. iii. 411; Jour. de Ph. 1816. _On the action of light upon plants, and of plants upon the atmosphere_: by Dr. Daubeny; Phil. Trans. cxxvii January, 1836. _On the action of yellow light in producing the green colour, and of indigo light on the movements of plants_: by P. Gardner; Phil. Mag. xxiv.; Bibl. Univ. xlix. p. 376, and lii. p. 381. _On the influence of light on plants_: by R. Hunt; Phil. Mag. xxiv. p. 96; Bibl. Univ. xlix. p. 383; Athen. 1844. _Note on the decomposition of carbonic acid by the leaves of plants, under the influence of yellow light_: by Draper; Phil. Mag. xxv. p. 169. _On the action of the yellow rays of light on vegetation_: by Harkness; Phil. Mag. xxv. p. 339. _Influence des rayons solaires sur la végétation_: by Zantedeschi; Inst. No. 541, p. 157.