120 PRACTICAL PHOTO-MICBOGKAPHY. 



with its face in contact with a sheet of " ferrotype plate " hav- 

 ing a highly glazed impervious surface. If the ferrotype 

 plate is clean the print, as it dries, will leave the plate either 

 spontaneously or with very slight assistance. A plate of glass 

 rubbed with pure talc powdered (French chalk) may be used 

 instead of the ferrotype plate. A still higher glaze may be 

 obtained thus : Make a solution of good gelatine to 1 ounce, 

 water 10 ounces. Swell the gelatine in the water, then dissolve 

 by heat. Take a sheet of glass, free from scratches, clean well, 

 sprinkle over with powdered talc from a pepper box or muslin 

 bag. Rub the talc all over ; then all (apparently) off. Coat 

 the plate with plain collodion. When the collodion is set, but 

 not dry, wash it under a tap or in changes of water till the 

 greasy appearance is gone. Place the collodionised plate face 

 upwardc in a flat, clean dish, containing the melted gelatine, 

 submerge the print to be enamelled face upwards in the gela- 

 tine, bring plate and print up together face to face ; put a 

 sheet of waterproof cloth over the print and carefully squeegee 

 the print to the collodion surface of the glass plate, avoiding 

 air bells. Allow to dry, run a knife edge round the edges of 

 the print, when it will probably jump from the glass with a very 

 highly glazed surface. The drier the print at time of strip- 

 ing the higher will be the gloss. It is not absolutely necessary 

 to immerse the plate in the gelatine solution ; if the print is 

 thoroughly saturated with the solution, it may be laid down 

 on the collodionised glass and then squeegeed. 



If these enamelled prints are to be mounted on cards, it is 

 well to pass a card of no great thickness through hot water and 

 to place it behind the print on the glass, while the print is still 

 saturated with gelatine, and then to squeegee all together, 

 placing a flat board on back of the card after squeegeeing and 

 leaving a weight on the board for a considerable time, to pre- 

 vent the card from bending away from the print. 



If the reader propose to mount his own prints of every de- 

 scription, he will probably find fresh starch paste as convenient 

 and as efficient as any mountant. Pour a little cold water on 

 the starch, make a thick cream with it, then add hot water. 

 Flour paste must never be used. Gelatine dissolved in water 

 and spirits is with some a favorite mountant. 



