NEGATIVE MAKING 59 



all vibrations, the card screening light is lifted 

 and its rays allowed to fall upon the object for 

 that period of time, when the card is replaced, 

 the dark slide returned to the holder, and we 

 are ready for the development. Proceed with 

 me now to the dark-room, where everything 

 necessary for this final act in the birth of our 

 negative has been prepared beforehand. The 

 lamp is burning brightly in the large, well- 

 ventilated lantern (Carbutt's), the door of 

 which is standing open, and there is no evi- 

 dence to the olfactory nerves of the presence 

 of any such evil-smelling thing as coal oil in 

 the little apartment. The developer, eiko- 

 hydro, stands ready mixed in a beaker; the 

 acid fixing bath is equally prepared to do its 

 duty when called upon. Closing the lantern 

 door, we still find the room sufficiently illumi- 

 nated to enable us to see what we are doing, 

 although the light is screened through one 

 sheet each of ruby and dark orange glass and 

 of post-paper, which renders it safe for ma- 

 nipulating the plate with proper care, such as 

 screening it from the direct rays and covering 

 the tray containing it with cardboard. I take 

 the plate from its holder, place in the tray 

 and cover with the developer in a single bold 

 sweep, my back to the light. Then the card- 



