42 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [ March, 
coal resting on fine ashes. This gives the heat necessary, and the papers are 
suspended one by one on wooden strips which run across the box and which 
slide along on pieces of wood nailed on the inside of the box near the top. 
When a sheet comes from the silver bath it is laid on the cover of the box, ~ 
the blotting paper applied, and it is then picked up on one of the wooden 
strips, which has two hooks made of bent pins for the purpose, and, sliding 
the cover aside, the paper is suspended over the hibachi and the drying goes 
on rapidly. 
The time required for floating the paper will vary with the temperature, 
the strength of the bath, and the character of the paper. _It is, perhaps, a 
good plan to put a drop of a solution of potassic chromate on the back of a 
sheet of paper on the bath, and note how long it takes for the silver solution 
to pass through the paper and produce the orange-colored precipitate of sil- 
ver chromate. This will certainly serve asa guide, for when such a colora- 
tion is observed, the paper should be removed. 
Care should be taken to keep up the strength of the bath by adding about 
15 grains of nitrate of silver for each full-sized sheet of paper sensitized. 
After the solution is used it is well to stand it in the sun for a while. It 
should always be filtered before using, and it should be neutral to test-paper. 
The addition of other chemicals to the silvering solution, such as ammonium 
nitrate, for example, does not offer any advantages, so far as we are aware, 
but the addition of alcohol may possibly be of value when the paper shows 
a tendency to ‘ blister’ in the subsequent operations ; but of this we cannot 
speak from experience. 
Fuming.—Fuming is not universally practised, but it is unquestionably 
advantageous, for several’reasons. After the paper is sensitized and dried, 
it is exposed in a closed box to the vapor of strong ammonia for ten or twenty 
minutes. It should then be stored in a tight box. 
Preserving Sensitized Paper.—The amateur who wishes to work eco- 
nomically will find it a serious inconvenience to frequently prepare fresh 
paper; but the ordinary paper will not keep many days unless certain pre- 
cautions are taken to preserve it. In warm weather even twenty-four hours 
will bring about a discoloration. Sensitized paper that will keep for a long 
time is sold by the dealers, but it is not to be recommended. It is usually 
prepared by the addition of citric acid in some way. The paper prepared 
as above described may be kept for a long time by adopting the following 
simple method of storage :—Take some sheets of bibulous paper and float 
them on a rather strong solution of washing soda, and when they are satu- 
rated with the solution hang them over a line to dry. Arrange the sensi- 
tized papers in pairs, face to face, and place the pairs between sheets of the 
soda papers. In this way a pile of silver and soda papers may be made in 
which the former will remain perfectly white in the hottest weather. No 
doubt prints might also be kept in the same way when it is inconvenient to 
tone them for some time after printing. 
Printing.—The negative is placed in the printing frame, the sensitized 
paper pressed evenly upon it, when it is exposed to the light. The printing 
should be continued until the print is decidedly darker than it is desired to 
be when finished. 
First Washing.—The object of this operation is to entirely remove the 
soluble silver salts from the paper. First place the prints in a tray of water 
containing some common salt, and as they turn red throw them into a con- 
siderable quantity of water and wash, with several changes of water. 
Toning.—The washed prints are now placed in a tray of water standing 
beside another tray containing the toning solution, near which should be a 
vessel of clean water. 
