Photography of Flowers 137 



easy to do, but for a novice whose previous education has 

 not included a course in squeezing bulbs it is a difficult 

 science. 



Your hand seems a thousand miles from the directing 

 brain, and the communicating command to squeeze loiters on 

 the threshold of the spinal cord, proceeds leisurely to the 

 shoulder, and down to the hand as if out for a holiday. 

 Meantime the hand waits for the word and wonders if the 

 cable is cut. I gave a nervous, tremulous, continuous grip, 

 and then fearing that I had not done it properly, I gave 

 another, and the deed was doubly done. It had been an agi- 

 tating hour, and while I longed to make instant use of the 

 newly gained knowledge that double squeezes are an evidence 

 of a perturbed mind, I felt I had had enough excitement for 

 that day and was satisfied to close the camera and walk into 

 the house, assured that I had fulfilled every condition, and 

 that my initial attempt was undoubtedly successful, if some- 

 what flurried. 



I was truly distressed when the first roll of developed films 

 was placed in my hands they were worthless; and more than 

 this, the lupines had gone by, as well as the various other 

 things I had taken, so they were lost to me for a whole year. 

 The second roll was edifying, but not useful. Then in a 

 sapient moment, I decided to keep an exact record of my mis- 

 takes, confident that, in the course of time, I should cover the 

 entire range of possible errors, and it would be a pleasure to 

 know what not to do, for I was not in the least disheartened. 

 So I ruled out a little memorandum book thus : 



and I have kept a careful report of every exposure taken. As 

 I look over the column marked Results, I am surprised at 



