60 Photography for the Sportsman Naturalist 



rocked constantly during this process, else the 

 reduction will be uneven, and the negative ex- 

 amined frequently until the desired density is 

 reached, otherwise it may be carried too far and 

 made too thin. 



Negatives can be thus reduced after having 

 been dried, but should then first be soaked in 

 water until the film is perfectly softened. This 

 reducer should only be used when the density is 

 equal over the entire plate. When this is not so, 

 that is, when some portions of the negative are 

 much denser than others, causing that portion to 

 print out white, with a loss of detail, then it can 

 be reduced to an equal density by placing it in a 

 three per cent solution of persulphate of ammo- 

 nia. The negative must be closely watched, for 

 this reducer acts very quickly after it once starts ; 

 and when it has been sufficiently reduced it must 

 be placed immediately in a ten per cent solution 

 of sulphite of soda and allowed to remain in it for 

 five or ten minutes. This stops the action of the 

 reducer, which would otherwise continue even 

 after the negative had been placed in water. 

 After reducing a negative in either solution, it 

 should be thoroughly washed in running water. 

 The last solution should never be used except 

 after all traces of hypo have been eliminated 

 from the negative, for, if there is any hypo 

 in the film, stains will occur. Neither of the 



