AND TREES 17 



negative, if any appear, may be corrected. If circum- 

 stances prevent immediate development, it will be best 

 to make two exposures at first, giving eacii a different 

 timing, and noting tlie result for experience. By expos- 

 ing a dozen plates upon various subjects in the same 

 place, under difierin^ conditions as to light and time of 

 day, we will get a fair knowledge of the time required, 

 and accumulate also some experience in the handling of 

 the light. 



I have suggested a trial with white and pink carnations. 

 If the negative shows a flat black shape for the white 

 liower, the lighting has been defective, and will need to 

 be carefully studied before using another plate. Particu- 

 larly is this important in working with white and light 

 flowers. To show white we must show shadows, and a 

 flat front light will not do this. A good way to get 

 information withoiit using plates is to pass cards of both 

 dark and light shades between the source of light and 

 the flowers, keeping' the eyes fastened, meanwhile, on the 

 flowers and noting the play of shadows. Sometimes the 

 excess, of light comes from above, and a portion of the 

 window must be screened off. In a room with white 

 walls and two windows there is usually a very strong 

 diffused light, and to get the modeling and form of white 

 flowers, dark shades must be used. 



_ . Having worked out the problems of 



e ing exposure and of lighting upon the much 

 xpenence. enduring carnations, other flowers may 

 'be taken, and especially other colors. I want to empha- 

 size the fact that a dozen or so plates used upon logical 

 and consistent experiments, even if but one good nega- 

 tive results, will be found to have been well used ; for an 

 ounce of practical experience is worth many pounds of 

 haphazard attempt. Get your experience first, and get 

 the results down on paper, noting carefully every detail 

 of plate, lens, stop, time, exposure and development. 



Shades of yeiUo'v may be well experimented with next. 

 Yellow carnations can be had, of rather a light hue, and 

 they are mostly striped with red. Make a composition of 

 white and yellow, and, of course, use isochromatic plates. 

 Do not be satisfied until a negative is obtained which 

 shows for the yellow a lower color value than a white. 

 A. bud of the Perle des Jardins rose, easily obtained from 

 any live florist, will give a very good shade of floral 

 yellow ; or, if the experimenter is working in the growing 

 time, common dandelions will give a deeper yellow to try 

 upon. While getting this first experience, keep to the 

 arrangements of flowers in vase, leaving the more artistic 



