326 



RECREATION. 



or universal focus, as utterly as some have 

 done. I believe the beginner has enough 

 to contend with at first without the trouble 

 of focusing. 



I started with a 4x5 No. 5 magazine 

 camera, and have never sent off a picture 

 to be finished. I did my own developing 

 and finishing from the first. I read every- 

 thing I could find on the subject, and 

 questioned every photographer I knew. 



I made failures innumerable. I shot 

 plates without regard to time, place or 

 subject. But the cost taught me discre- 

 tion and I became more cautious in my 

 use of material. Occasionally I made a 

 fairly good picture, and I quit trying to get 

 the earth and the fullness thereof on one 

 little plate. I discarded for all time com- 

 bined toning and fixing baths, and learned 

 to handle the separate toners. As my 

 work improved, my friends began to an- 

 nex my photos. "Oh, this is so cute ; I 

 just must have it!' they would say. I 

 found that more expensive than spoiling 

 material. Then my wife came into the 

 game, and now I furnish the experience 

 while she does most of the work. She 

 took the business management of it, too, 

 for I simply could not refuse a pretty girl 

 a picture. But Betsey could ! 



Then, while on a vacation, I spent most 

 of my time with a skilled photographer, 

 helping him in order to gain experience. I 

 helped finish lots of amateur work. That 

 encouraged me. About one printable film 

 or plate to 6 exposures was the rule. 



Believing by that time that I could man- 

 age focusing, I bought a larger and better 

 camera. But if I had been obliged to 

 master focusing at first in addition to my 

 other troubles, I should have thrown up 

 the whole thing in disgust. 



We began to do flashlight work at pub- 

 lic gatherings, home entertainments, etc., 

 also portrait work. Many times we 

 would make $10 or $15 out of one nega- 

 tive. Much of our work could not be 

 called good, but it went, and was paid for. 

 Our hobby became, and continues, more 

 than self-sustaining. 



E. O. Burton, Karnes City, Tex. 



A TONING SOLUTION. 

 ■ In this out of the way place it is hard 

 to get chemicals, especially fluids, which 

 can not be mailed. I generally use bi- 

 chloride of gold and sodium, 1 grain to 1 

 pint of water, and then add borax until 

 red litmus turns slightly blue. Is that 

 right? I used to get good tones with 

 this, but lately the preparation shows a 

 tendency to bleach the print. Can the 

 gold deteriorate, especially if kept in a 

 stock solution? If you know of a simple 

 bath of easily procured chemicals I shall 

 be grateful if you will give me the for- 

 mula. 



I send 3 litttle prints to show what I 

 mean by bleaching. 



Allan Brooks, Quesnel, B. C. 



ANSWER. 



Do not use gold and sodium; use pure 

 chloride of gold. Dissolve 15 grains in 

 7 T /2 ounces of water and label it Stock 

 Gold Sol. To tone take y 2 ounce of stock, 

 add bicarbonate of soda until litmus 

 turns faintly blue; then add it to 10 ounces 

 of water. It will, tone several dozen 4x5 

 prints. The bath you use would be bet- 

 ter if made with pure gold chloride. It 

 is much cheaper in the end, too. The bo- 

 rax bath is considered a good one, but 

 your negatives are not so dense as they 

 should be. Try a denser negative and you 

 will experience none of what you term 

 bleaching. Develop your plates 5 minutes 

 longer. Pure gold stock solution in 

 boiled or distilled water will not deteri- 

 orate unless the water be alkaline. If so 

 use distilled water. — Editor. 



A GOOD DEVELOPER. 



What is your opinion of Tolidol? Would 

 you advise me to use it or do you prefer 

 another developer? 



Would you advise using pure platinum 

 paper or some form of it, such as Aristo 

 Platino? My work is nearly all outdoors. 



What photographic periodical or book 

 would aid me? 



W. S. S., Elmira, N. Y. 



ANSWER. 



Tolidol seems a good developer, though 

 personally I do not care for one that works 

 so slowly. Newcomb's Everlasting De- 

 veloper is excellent and most reasonable 

 in price. The maker is E. W. Newcomb, 

 Bible House, New York. Material for 40 

 ounces costs 50 cents postpaid. 



Pure platinum paper is excellent, though 

 quite expensive. Aristo Platino is a sil- 

 ver paper which is afterward toned with 

 platinum. Eastman's Sepia paper is 

 simple to use and is not expensive. 

 Their water development platinum paper 

 is also good. You will find American 

 Aristo Self Toning paper a great time 

 saver, and as it contains the toning chemi- 

 cals nothing is needed but common salt 

 and hypo in working it. 



Photo-American, monthly, $1 a year, 

 New York. Also books on special sub- 

 jects. Photo Miniature treats of one 

 subject at a time and each number is quite 

 a text book. Price, 25 cents a copy. 

 Publisher's address is 289 4th Avenue, 

 New York. — Editor. 



PLATINUM TONING SOLUTION. 

 Some time ago there was published in 

 Recreation a formula for toning silver 

 prints with chloride of platinum. I was 

 anxious to use the formula, and ordered 

 the platinum from 3 different dealers. One 



