4O THE A B C OF PHOTO - MICROGRAPHY 



And now a ray of light comes from the far 

 East, illuminating and making clear whatso- 

 ever dark places my black paper backing 

 scheme may contain. In the British Journal 

 Photographic Almanac for 1902, I have found 

 a short article under the caption of u Ex Ori- 

 ente Lux," contributed by Mr. George Ewing, 

 of Calcutta, which makes the plan simply per- 

 fect, and almost impels me to purchase a 

 Chicago self-acting kicking machine for per- 

 sonal use as a well -merited punishment for 

 not having thought of it myself. However, I 

 am quite ready to take a back seat and to 

 give him thanks for a suggestion which has 

 given me no end of satisfaction in its practical 

 application during the past month or two. 

 Instead of water he uses glycerine wherewith 

 to coat the black paper on one side only 

 which not only furnishes an absolutely perfect 

 backing, but will remain in perfect condition 

 for many days after application to the plate. 

 Well may he ask his " readers to drop for a 

 moment caramel, burnt sienna, Indian ink, 

 gum and gamboge and many other messy 

 abominations and try a backing of thin black 

 paper coated with glycerine and squeegeed into 

 optical contact with the back of the plate" 

 to which I will add that the dropping will not 



