128 



RECREATION. 



rapher to accept some mounts from which 

 the photographs became detached in bur- 

 nishing. The fault was in the preparation 

 of the paste. It is usual to rub the starch 

 into a paste with cold water, and then add 

 a certain quantity of boiling water. But 

 a more adhesive paste may be made in the 

 following manner: Rub down 10 parts of 

 starch in ioo parts of water and heat to 

 boiling point; add one part of gelatine, cut 

 as fine as possible, just before boiling. The 

 paste should be freshly prepared each day, 

 but the addition of one part of carbolic 

 acid, stirred up in 10 parts of alcohol, will 

 preserve it for a considerable time. 



In September Recreation the closing 

 paragraph of "How to Use It" (R. B. A. 

 in the English Amateur Photographer) is 

 as follows: 



"Almost every amateur loads his camera 

 with slow or medium plates; then goes 

 out and exposes the whole lot in snaps 

 and differently timed exposures. Then he 

 walks the whole lot through the same new, 

 full strength developer, and can't under- 

 stand what is the matter." 



I protest. Move to amend by striking 

 out "almost every amateur" and inserting 

 "occasionally some tyro." "R. B. A." 

 would better look up the definition of 

 "amateur." 



A. Neal, Mitchell, Col. 



For cleaning lenses, an exchange recom- 

 mends .vegetable pith. For this purpose 

 the medulla of rushes, elders or sunflow- 

 ers is cut out, the pieces dried, and pasted 

 singly alongside of one another on a piece 

 of cork, whereby a brushlike apparatus 

 is obtained, which is passed over the sur- 

 face of the lens. For very small lenses, 

 pointed pieces of elder pith are employed. 

 To dip dirty and greasy lenses into oil of 

 turpentine or ether and rub them with a 

 linen rag seems hazardous, because the 

 Canada balsam, with which the lenses are 

 cemented, might become dissolved. It 

 would be better to carefully wipe off the 

 lenses with a soft linen rag dipped in oil 

 of turpentine, etc. 



Will some one kindly give me a recipe and 

 directions for making prominent pictures on 

 silk or linen? I am much interested in photo- 

 graphy and find in Recreation more notes 

 of real service to the amateur than in any 

 other magazine. 



F. T. Armstrong, Stuart, Iowa. 



ANSWER. 



Martin's silk solutions are the best in the 

 market. They can be bought of E. & H. T. 

 Anthony & Co., 122 Fifth Ave., New York. 



After developing, when the fingers have 

 been alternately in the hypo, alum and de- 

 veloping dish, the finger ends acquire a 

 disagreeable, dry feeling, which is not 

 quickly got rid of. If, however, they are 

 put under the hot water tap, held there as 

 long as possible, and then washed with 

 soap and warm water, all dryness will dis- 

 appear, leaving the hands as soft as before. 



As a support to trim prints on, use an old 

 negative, film side up. The prints will 

 then be cut cleanly and without slipping. 

 After being in use some time a fresh nega- 

 tive will, of course, be required. 



Would like to correspond with some 

 amateur photographers. 



Geo. W. Harp, Brinley, O. 



THE CAMERA GIRL. 



Behold her, 



The camera girl, 



She comes at the first sign 



Of spring, and you can bet she'll stay 



Until the depth of winter 



Chases her away. 



There are girls who row, 



And girls who like to wheel, 



Or play lawn tennis. Some feel 



Disposed toward golf. Now all 



Of these, I know, 



Are fascinators in their way, 



But I will wager that the camera girl 



Can give them cards and spades, 



And beat them any day. 



Dressed in a shirt waist 



And her sailor hat and skirt 



Of natty gray, she sallies forth 



And snaps and snaps away 



At everything of interest that's, in sight. 



If there's a wedding in the block, 



She's there^ and she will risk her life 



To get a picture of the bride. 



If a minstrel show parades the street, 



She'll work and elbow through the crowd 



Until she stands in front, 



And then she opens fire. She'll use 



A roll of film in less than no time. 



If there's a fire, she's present, and 



Her smile's so sweet and bland 



That the bluecoats feel obliged 



To let her through the lines. 



If a man gets hurt, she's there 



To take his picture. She feels 



So sorry for him, and she thinks 



He might feel better if he knew 



He had been photographed. 



— Detroit Free Press. 



Mr. Sweet — Do you find it economical to 

 do your own cooking? 



Mrs. Burnem — Oh, yes; my husband 

 doesn't eat half so much as he did when we 

 had a cook. — Tid-Bits. 



