The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-12-11
100 PICTURES A MINUTE.
A Photograph Machine Of Marvel
Gus Rapidly.

In an article published in the Popular
Science Monthly gu "Animuteu Pic
lures" Ey j. miller Barr, the author
points out the possibilities of the cinema.
tograph in II very interesting manner.
He says:
We have hitherto been concerned with
motion pictures of the obituary type
those, namely. which reproduce with &C
curacy the movements of the original
scenes. In order to secure this result it
is essential that our pictures be taken"
and exhibited at the same rate per unit
of tina. Where this condition has not
been fulfilled, it is manifest that the pic
tnre turned objects must appear to move
either quicker or more slowly than their
originals. If the difference in rate be
small, it's results will hardly be noticea-
BILE; il large, u curious but awkward and
unnatural effect will be produced.
Suppose now the mechanism of our
camera be altered in such wise that sue
cessiye exposures may be made at rela
lively long intervals OF time, while the
duration Of each exposure can be varied
at will With this end in view, the
camera should be provided with clock
work capable Of running for twenty four
hours continuously. Thus equipped, we
should be ready to experiment on objects
such as growing plants whose
changes Are of too gradual II nature to be
perceived by the eye.
= An ordinary house plant-let us say II
geran,um, abutilon, or hyacnith-wouid
form an admirable subject for the pur-
pose. The photographs might be taken
under the electric light at intervals OF an
hour or moIe, though plants of rapid
growth (such as elm bers) might well he
photographed at much shorter intervals.
AS II uniform illumination is essential.
l,n nj, do Il li.Kl,
while taking the negatives. at night
the-light source could be maintained
continuously-a condition which tends,
as is we'll known, to stimulate the growth
of plants. The experiments might ex-
tend over q period of weeks. or even of
many months, according 10 the nature of
the plant. selected. But the resulting
film, when placed in the cinematograph
for exhibition, would be .'recled Off" in
the course of n minute or two, so that we
should have. as IT were, II greatly magni-
fled representation of the movements IA
volved il. plant growth. If, for example,
our pictures were taken at half-hourly
intervals, and shown at speed of 30 per
second, the apparent rate of growth of
the plant would be increased 10 less than
pinetv thousand times. slower rate
would evidently correspond to II dimin-
ished time interval between successive
negatives; and this interval should in all
cases he so chosen as to insure gradual
Though distinctly perceptib!e) changes in
the resulting pictures.
Such view could not fail to produce an
effect at once marvellous, unique and in
structive. AS pictured upon the canvas,
the plants would grow and develop before
the eyes of onlookers, throwing GU; leaf
upon leaf. and visibly increasing their
dimensions. Here and there Il Hover or
Hover cluster might make it's appear
ance. the individual blossoms bursting
forth suddenly and remaining visirle for
IL hrief peri only. The process IS clearly
applicable 10 greenhouse or inuoor plants
of every dt description, from stately palms
or tree lerns down to the most delicate
moses lichens. Thus. the general
phenomena of plant growth may he illus.
trated with vividneSs never before real
lied. AS object lessons in botany, such
motion pictures would be invaluable,
while the general public, net less than
the advanced student Of science, would
regard them With feelings Of the keenast
interest.
Instead &C photoeraphing an entire
plant re might direct our efforts to the
representation of it's more interesting de-
tails THIS an expanding leaf, bud or ~
flower stalk would furnish highly Mt
The microscope, too could be brought To
bear, and with its aid we should be ena-
bled to depict the more delicate and sub
tie processe of Vegetable growth. Such
optical studies wunld be not merely in
structive in the ordinary sense Of that
term, but they would he likely 10 throw
new light on biological problems OF the
deepest interest For we are here con
cerned with changes which cannot be iii
rectly observed, and whose nature can
only be imperfectly apprehended from
comparison of ordinary photographs
taken for :ne purpose. We know, for
example, that common instantaneous
views of men or animals in motion con
vey mist imperfect idea OF the actual
movements involved in walking or run
ming: and IL similar remark " ould doubt
less apply with greater force in cases
where the pictured objects were under
going changes of complex physical ma
ture; so that the human eye, aided by
sensation OF motion, might well succeed
in bringing TO light laws or relations
hitherto unrecognized by botanists.
This graphic method should theoreti-
cally he applicable to insects and ami
mails as well as to plants. In practice,
however. it can be successfully applied
only to the lower and the higher forms nf
animal life. On the one hand we could
picture the growth of certain lowly or
ganisnls in the bon der land betwee1 the
animal and vegetable worlds; on the
other we could portray the development
of II child, or even TIE life changes OF
human being from childhood to old age.
Pictures of the latter class nay evidently
he taken q { daily intervals: uniformity in