28 THE A B C OF PHOTO - MICROGRAPHY 



some years ago, since which time my dark- 

 room has consisted of a none-too-roomy closet, 

 lighted by a ruby lantern burning coal-oil, 

 and every drop of water must be carried up 

 and down a flight of stairs. Yet I venture to 

 say the negatives made in that closet are at 

 least equal to any I ever developed in the 

 old perfectly appointed dark-room, and so 

 accustomed have I become to the surround- 

 ings and extra work made necessary, that the 

 aforetime conveniences are never missed. So 

 take heart, all ye who cannot compass these, 

 and make the best of your environments. 



As a dark-room accessory, the ruby or de- 

 veloping lantern holds precedence. Make no 

 mistake in selection at the start. It should 

 be of ample size to avoid overheating, which 

 volatilizes the oil and produces an offensive 

 odor, as well as a dangerous poison, if breathed 

 for any great length of time. There are many 

 such affairs in the shops, more or less perfect, 

 but I think there can be no two opinions as 

 to the superiority of the Carbutt lantern, on 

 account of its large size, ample ventilation and 

 facilities afforded for manipulating the lamp. 

 I purchased one of the first ever sold, almost 

 twenty years ago, and it has been in more or 

 less continuous use ever since. A sheet of 



