492 



RECREATION. 



tained on bromide paper. The tones pro- 

 duced are believed to be permanent, and 

 not subject to the bronzing in the shadows 

 which occurs in bromides toned in urani- 

 um. Make up the following sepia toning 

 bath : Hyposulphite of soda, 10 ounces ; 

 ground alum, 2 ounces; granulated sugar, 

 2 ounces ; boiling water, 70 ounces. Dis- 

 solve the hypo in the water first, then add 

 the alum slowly. When all is dissolved 

 the solution should be milk white. This 

 solution should not be filtered ; it can be 

 used repeatedly. Ripen the bath by allow- 

 ing it to stand over night. The ripening 

 process can be hastened by heating the bath 

 up once or twice to about 130 degrees Fahr. 

 and then allowing it to cool. If the bath 

 is not sufficiently ripened, there will be a 

 tendency to scratch the prints a trifle. The 

 best results are obtained by using the bath 

 hot, or as warm as the emulsion will stand 

 — say 130 degrees to 140 degrees Fahr. In 

 this bath enameled bromide prints will 

 tone in 10 to 20 minutes. The print should 

 be fixed, then immersed in a cold toning 

 bath, and then transferred to the hot bath. 

 After toning rinse in a tepid solution of 

 water, 70 ounces ; alum, 2 ounces ; then 

 wash thoroughly. The object of the final 

 alum bath is to prevent blisters, and it 

 need not be used unless they occur. — 

 Photography. 



INTENSIFYING FILMS. 



As a rule, film negatives more often call 

 for intensification than glass negatives. 

 The most sensitive film can not compete 

 in rapidity with the fastest plate ; and, in 

 addition, the average film user knows less 

 about correct exposures than the average 

 plate user. Hence, there are far more 

 under exposed films than plates. There is 

 no reason why many of those under ex- 

 posed films should not be transformed into 

 negatives of excellent printing quality by 

 the aid of such an intensifier as cresco- 

 fylma. But the amateur must pay strict 

 heed to one matter, and that is the com- 

 plete removal of hypo from the film before 

 it is immersed in the intensifier. Of course, 

 this applies to plates as well, but not with 

 the same force. Unless a film has been 

 thoroughly washed before intensification it 

 is almost certain to be utterly ruined by 

 small and large spots of greater density 

 than the general intensification. — The 

 Traveller. 



SNAP SHOTS. 



On an exceedingly hot day I developed 

 7 plates and on 5 of them the hypo solu- 

 tion had no effect whatever. Thinking 

 that was possibly due to the temperature, 

 I developed another plate, using ice in the 

 solutions. I obtained a perfect negative. 



Later, profiting as I thought by experience; 

 I used iced solutions on 8 plates. Three 

 of them the hypo failed to clear. Please 

 tell me what caused the trouble. 



H. L. D., Bath, Me. 



ANSWER. 



You are probably using a brand of plates 

 requiring a comparatively weak solution of 

 hypo to fix rapidly. If you will make a 

 saturated solution of hypo and then add 

 1/3 its bulk of water, your plates will fix 

 as they should. The next brand may re- 

 quire full strength, but the kind you are 

 now using evidently do not. I have no 

 doubt I could name the ones you had 

 this experience with, and you will find the 

 remedy prescribed effective. — Editor. 



Birds are made to take their own pictures 

 by the ingenious apparatus of O. G. Pike, 

 an English photographer. A bait of fat is 

 placed on an electrical wire, which is so 

 connected with a camera that when the bait 

 is removed the camera shutter is released, 

 giving an instantaneous exposure of the 

 sensitive plate. An excellent portrait of 

 the song thrush is among the interesting 

 results that have been shown. The ar- 

 rangement may be used with other timid 

 creatures, and for getting pictures of noc- 

 turnal animals the electrical wire can be 

 made to ignite a little magnesium as it re- 

 leases the shutter, giving a strong light at 

 the instant of exposure. — Milwaukee Senti- 

 nel. 



To cure buckled mounts, place the 

 mounted print face downward on a flat 

 surface and wet the back of the mount 

 evenly all over, being careful not to allow 

 any moisture to get to the front. The 

 thicker the mount the damper it should be. 

 Cover with a sheet of blotting paper, then 

 with a board, on which place a heavy 

 weight. When dry, the mount will be 

 perfectly flat. — Photography. 



Uranium nitrate 150 grains 



Silver nitrate 15 grains 



Distilled water % ounce 



Methylated alcohol 24 ounce 



Dry in the dark, print deeply, wash in 

 weak nitric acid and then in water and 

 iron. This gives a dark brown image, 

 which can be toned in a weak gold bath. — 

 Photographic Times. 



In the September number F. Goodrich, 

 of San Antonio, Tex., asks if it is possible 

 to form one great camera club of readers 

 of Recreation who love photography. I 

 think that is a good suggestion, and I hope 

 all readers who are interested will give 

 their views on the subject. 



O. H. Hill, Colorado Springs, Col, 



