Lecture Film [Pumpkin - Sensitive Plant]
Date Of Production
circa 1958
Abstract
Time-lapse footage of a pumpkin's growth shot by John Nash Ott for Walt Disney's Secrets of Life (1956).
Description
This film begins with time-lapse footage of a pumpkin's growth. Ott's initial attempt to sprout a pumpkin used limited overhead natural light during mid-day hours, supplemented by cool fluorescent light during other portions of the day. The film displays the pumpkin's development, tendrils groping to latch onto the stalk in spring-like fashion, and stamen flower formation which failed to turn into a pumpkin. By chance, Ott switched the supplemental fluorescent light source to cool, white daylight light and found that the pistillate flowers supported the formation of the pumpkin.
The scene transitions outdoors where several men cover up a bed of chrysanthemums with curtains, demonstrating light limitations required by these flowers in order to successfully bloom. Chrysanthemums naturally bloom during the period near Christmas when daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere approach their annual minimum. The men affix the curtains in mid-afternoon and refrain from removing the curtains until mid-morning the next day.
The scene shifts again to a time-lapse sequence of a chrysanthemum blooming, followed by footage of a young boy feeding birds.
The concluding scene demonstrates the sensitivity of the Mimosa pudica to various stimuli. The leaflets of the plant open during daylight hours and close at night. The leaflets of the Mimosa close instantly when flicked with a finger, and heat from a match causes the leaflets and branches of the plant to wither and collapse. When exposed to ether gas, the sensitivity of the plant is shown to be greatly reduced.
In Ott's autobiography, My Ivory Cellar: The Story of Time-Lapse Photography, he recounts that because his pumpkin plant was only producing female flowers, he began to frantically search for a male counterpart to use for pollination, and called several professional acquaintances for assistance, but to no avail. Finally, Ott contacted Mr. Deatrick of the Flagler Hydroponic Gardens in Miami. Ott recollects:
"I asked [Mr. Deatrick] if he could look around Florida to see if there were any male pumpkin flowers in bloom. After explaining the urgency of the situation, he said he would see what he could do. He called me back a little later in the morning, saying that he had spread the word. By noon an urgent appeal for pumpkin pollen had been published in the early edition of the Miami paper and broadcast on the radio so my beautiful little lady flower wouldn't die a spinster. By two o'clock that afternoon a lady living in Miami called in that she had a pumpkin vine with male flowers in bloom and offered it in this emergency. While sitting at my desk wondering how I could get a male flower or at least some pollen before dark, the telephone rang. It was the vice president of Eastern Air Lines. He had heard of the plight of my lady pumpkin flower in full bloom and offered their facilities in this emergency. He arranged to have the whole pumpkin vine dug up and placed aboard a non-stop plane to Chicago. I dashed out to the airport and waited for the plane. Soon it was announced and I was escorted out on the field. Newspaper photographers and reporters had gathered, but no one really knew who the important celebrity was. From all the commotion it obviously had to be a movie star or foreign royalty. No one would believe me when I told them it was King Pumpkin, or perhaps they just didn't understand. The passengers were all held on the plane until the pumpkin was unloaded and delivered to me. I rushed it out to my time-lapse studio, where I introduced it to the lady in waiting."
The scene transitions outdoors where several men cover up a bed of chrysanthemums with curtains, demonstrating light limitations required by these flowers in order to successfully bloom. Chrysanthemums naturally bloom during the period near Christmas when daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere approach their annual minimum. The men affix the curtains in mid-afternoon and refrain from removing the curtains until mid-morning the next day.
The scene shifts again to a time-lapse sequence of a chrysanthemum blooming, followed by footage of a young boy feeding birds.
The concluding scene demonstrates the sensitivity of the Mimosa pudica to various stimuli. The leaflets of the plant open during daylight hours and close at night. The leaflets of the Mimosa close instantly when flicked with a finger, and heat from a match causes the leaflets and branches of the plant to wither and collapse. When exposed to ether gas, the sensitivity of the plant is shown to be greatly reduced.
In Ott's autobiography, My Ivory Cellar: The Story of Time-Lapse Photography, he recounts that because his pumpkin plant was only producing female flowers, he began to frantically search for a male counterpart to use for pollination, and called several professional acquaintances for assistance, but to no avail. Finally, Ott contacted Mr. Deatrick of the Flagler Hydroponic Gardens in Miami. Ott recollects:
"I asked [Mr. Deatrick] if he could look around Florida to see if there were any male pumpkin flowers in bloom. After explaining the urgency of the situation, he said he would see what he could do. He called me back a little later in the morning, saying that he had spread the word. By noon an urgent appeal for pumpkin pollen had been published in the early edition of the Miami paper and broadcast on the radio so my beautiful little lady flower wouldn't die a spinster. By two o'clock that afternoon a lady living in Miami called in that she had a pumpkin vine with male flowers in bloom and offered it in this emergency. While sitting at my desk wondering how I could get a male flower or at least some pollen before dark, the telephone rang. It was the vice president of Eastern Air Lines. He had heard of the plight of my lady pumpkin flower in full bloom and offered their facilities in this emergency. He arranged to have the whole pumpkin vine dug up and placed aboard a non-stop plane to Chicago. I dashed out to the airport and waited for the plane. Soon it was announced and I was escorted out on the field. Newspaper photographers and reporters had gathered, but no one really knew who the important celebrity was. From all the commotion it obviously had to be a movie star or foreign royalty. No one would believe me when I told them it was King Pumpkin, or perhaps they just didn't understand. The passengers were all held on the plane until the pumpkin was unloaded and delivered to me. I rushed it out to my time-lapse studio, where I introduced it to the lady in waiting."
Run Time
9 min 56 sec
Format
16mm
Extent
357 feet
Color
Color
Sound
Silent
Reel/Tape Number
1/1
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Element
Internegs
Genre
Form
Subject
Related Collections
Related Places
Main Credits
Ott, John Nash Jr. (is filmmaker)
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