240 



KNOWLEDGE & SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[(_)CT., 1904. 



for reproduction is placed upon white paper, and suit- 

 able pressure is applied by the hand or other means. 

 The operation leaves no visible trace of ;ui impression, 

 nevertheless, when a small quantity of the powder is 

 lii^htlv passed over the paper, an impression appears 

 on the surface, delineated as a print in the style of our 

 illustrations. Each is absolutely permanent. The 

 author claims a wide rang-e of application for his pro- 

 cess in nature-printing:, and printing: by contact. Its 

 adaptability for the rapid production of impressions of 

 the thumb and finger, of the palm of the hand, or sole 

 of the foot, may be very readily demonstrated, and 

 strictly " while you wait." Representations of flowers. 



Fig. 5.— Oak Leaf. 



leaves, grasses, ferns, wood sections, and similar 

 natural objects are also within its province ; as well as 

 fac-similes of lace and other patterns, and the designs 

 on coins and medals. One of the advantages of the 

 " Physiotype " print is tliat it can be used as an 

 artist's lithograph and transferred to stone, zinc, or 

 a'.uminium. By this means it is possible to print off 

 any number of impressions, and to produce them, if 

 required, in one or several shades of colour. 



The precise applicability of " Physiotype " records, 

 and the development of the process as a nature-print- 

 ing method need not be discussed here. But, 

 if we may say so, it would certainly appear 

 to provide a welcome auxiliary to the teaching of 

 botany in tlie field. The production of a self-picture of 

 the leaves, fruit, or other parts of a freshly-gathered 

 plant is readily obtainable by its means, and the results 



arc of a decidedly attractive and instructive character. As 

 an adjunct to the pursuit of " Nature Study,'' it should 

 prove of great value in stimulating the latent observa- 

 tional faculty of children. With the interesting pro- 

 spect before them of producing a pictorial fac-simile of 

 a living leaf, flower, or section, boys and girls might 



4 



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Fijj. 0. — Impression of a Section of Wood. 



be the more easily persuaded to collect material from 

 the countryside. For example, a series of leaves might 

 be brought together illustrative of their composite 

 qualities of structure, that is to say, of contour, vena- 

 tion, serration, difference between upper and lower side, 

 and so forth. The teacher would apply the lesson. Our 

 photographs from "Physiotype" impressions of leaves 

 (figs. I, 2 and 5) demonstrate the point. Again, entire 

 specimens of plants are susceptible of teaching effort, 

 where the mode of inflorescence is noted, form of 

 bud and corolla, attachment of anthers, the presence 

 of stipules, hairs, and other characters of growth. 



Fig. 7. — Finjrer Prints showing: Whorls (reduced). 



Some examples of common plants in flower at the 

 time of writing: were gathered and submitted to the 

 " Physiotype ' process. Each was essentially a living 

 specimen, and no more was done in preliminary 

 manipul.ition than to use such slight pressure as would 

 ensure the flatting down of the plant in a natural 



