326 
face of the plate, so that the developer will 
flow evenly over it. 
2. In the absence of specific statement 
as to whether you want hardener tor plates 
or prints, I take it you mean an acid fixing 
bath that will have a hardening effect on 
the plates. 
The following bath is used by many pro- 
fessionals, and there are many variations 
of it that produce the same desult: 
Hy pO Msi cee er eee epee 8 oz. 
Citric Sacid’ At eecrtee se eee eee. 4 Oz 
eA Gh ACh Shall S weet ene cir: WY OZ 
Water ih ererey meters. Seema ey, 24 OZ 
If you are really making pictures in ear- 
nest, and want fine results, set a new gal- 
lon jug (see that it has not been used to 
deliver vinegar or molasses in), and mul- 
tiply the formula to make up a gallon. 
Pulverize the ingredients, dissolve separ- 
ately, filter into your jug and set away in 
a cool, dark place. ; 
If plates are washed thoroughly after 
development, it will keep for weeks, and 
can be used over and over till it becomes 
discolored from developer. Shake up 
the jug, and use it all at once in a stone 
crock, or metal fixing box, and leave 
plates in as long as you please. On re- 
moving, wash, and go over lightly but 
thoroughly with wet absorbent cotton, to 
remove the milky deposit. Then wash as 
usual in running water. 
3. Is it possible to remove exposed 
plates from double feather weight plate 
holders, with rubber slides, without using 
a chisel or jimmy? 
Yes, more quiet methods will be bet- 
ter. Juggle with your plate holders till 
you learn the trick, before you expose 
plates in them. In the end of the holder 
opposite where the slide goes in there is 
a groove in the wood and a steel spring. 
To put in a plate take the holder in the 
left hand, and the plate in the right. Slip 
the end of the plate in this groove, press 
the spring back, drop down in holder, 
and the spring will push it back toward 
you in the groove at the end where the 
slide enters. 
To take it out, turn holder over, slide, 
end next you; catch plate in left hand by 
pressing back spring with right. Simply 
catch spring with your nails, and draw it 
from you; jar holder a little and plate will 
drop out. Take an old negative and work 
it in daylight till you are sure of it be- 
fore you put in good plates. 
4. In making sepia prints is it neces- 
sary that plates be developed in any spe- 
cial way? 
(b) What is the simplest and easiest 
way of toning sepia prints? 
(a) No. Any negative that will give a 
good print on any paver will make a good 
sepia print. a 
RECREATION. 
(b) The simplest and easiest way of 
toning a sepia print is to follow the in- 
structions sent out by the makers of sepia 
paper. Any make of this paper will pro- 
duce a sepia brown by proper toning, but 
pure blacks and whites, or a faint greenish 
tone, are more popular. 
In a gelatine paper quit toning at the 
shade you want and put in hypo, % the 
usual strength. 
In Aristo Platino use gold bath ™% the. 
usual strength, take prints out at the shade 
desired, and put in hypo, % strength, with 
the usual washing between. 
In carbon, Velox and bromide papers, 
use more bromide in the developer, tone 
less, and fix same as other papers. 
Vera matt paper gives a good sepia by 
placing print directly in % strength hypo, 
and washing well afterward. 
Platinotype paper gives warm ‘tones 
treated as follows: Make a stock solution 
of safurate oxalate of potash. For use 
take one part stock solution to 6 of water, 
for developer. To this add one dram of 
saturate solution of bi-chloride of mer- 
cury; mix well and use at once. The bi- 
chloride has a tencency to destroy fine 
half-tones; therefore a regative that is full 
of good gradation of tone is best for this. 
After development place in a weak solution 
of hydrochloric acid, one part acid to 200 
water, and keep moving for I0 minutes. 
Full directions accompany the sepia 
papers, and you will no doubt find these 
the most satisfactory papers to use for 
sepia tones. 5 

A FEW HINTS. 
C. A. DARLING IN PHOTO-AMERICAN, 
During the past two months I have done 
considerable copying and have found the 
work very interesting. Oil paintings, en- 
gravings, etchings, photographs, and even 
proofs that had not been toned found their 
place in front of the camera. Some were 
enlarged a trifle, some reduced and others 
copied the exact size of the original. There 
is nothing difficult about the process—the 
most important essentials being a- fairly 
bright but diffused light, camera with ex- 
tension bellows, rectilinear lens and prop- 
er judgment of the exposure—all of which 
I think most amateurs are equipped with. 
Procure a board about 1% feet wide by 6 
feet long (an old mantel board is just the 
thing); place it on some support so that 
it will be level and near a window. On 
the end of the board nearest the window 
place the camera and facing the camera, 
supported by a book or two or a paste- 
board box, the picture to be copied, which 
must be exactly parallel with the lens and 
front board of the camera. Have the lens 
at full opening and obtain on the ground 
glass an image the required size of the 


