It seems that the Chinese or Malays have succeeded in
producing a species of convolvulus which changes its colour, at least under a tropical sun, three times a day,—in other words, has a separate costume for morning, afternoon, and covering,—though with- out the trouble of a change of evening—which is as much as the most fashionable lady could desire. The chameleon plant, says Mr. Blackburn, of Peckham Rye, in a letter to Wednesday's Times, is a white convolvolus, with five streaks in the calyx. These five streaks gradually change colour during the day in Penang, being pale blue in the early morning, rich purple at midday, and alight pink fading into white at night, when the flower withered. Are the resources of science unequal to find- ing a dress which would have the same properties,--and pass from a morning dress to a ball dress by the mere transformation of its colours ? If our dim English sun is not powerful enough to induce such a change, surely a few chemical rays might in some way be concentrated upon a properly prepared dress so as to produce the desired change. It would be a great saving of young ladies' time.
Previous page
