488 



RECREATION. 



tissue is plaeed in an alum bath and after 

 2 rinsings of cold water, is squegeed to the 

 final support and left to 1 - dry; when the' 

 temporary support is stripped om— EdITG& 



For use on paper take l / 2 to 8 ounces of 



water. — Editor. 



edinq'L and Acetone bul^hit e. 



ArhOhg other thlhgS with which 1 have 

 been lately experimenting are 1 ediriol and 

 acetone sulphite* and for my own work I 

 have fottnd their use limited. Acetone §lil s 

 phite as a Substitute for sodium sulphite 

 gives little it any advantage. It is more 

 soluble but no more stable. Being an acid 

 sulphite, it requires more alkali to neutral- 

 ize it, and it is much more expensive than 

 the sodium salt. As a preservative it is no 

 better thail oxalic acid. As a restraining 

 agent for over exposed plates it prolongs 

 development, but with the disadvantage of 

 giving negatives a flat, gray appearance, 

 even when development is carried far ; and 

 the resulting negatives make 'poor prints. 

 I find it useful, however, in developing pa- 

 pers of the CykO claSSi 



Edinol I find as good for plates as any of 

 the newer developing agents, and better than 

 some, but like all of them, it is far inferior 

 to pyro, as regards the printing quality of 

 the negative. For developing X-ray nega- 

 tives it is good, as it does not stain even in 

 the prolonged, development that is some- 

 times necessary; but by increasing the so- 

 dium sulphite I can do as well with fresh 

 pyro developer. 



R. L. Wadhams, M. D., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 



SNAP SHOTS. 



Is it possible to make a stock solution of 

 hypo and alum that will not deteriorate? 



How long will a developer composed of 

 So grains amidol and 200 grains sulphite of 

 soda keep in solution? How much water 

 should be used to dilute it? 



How long will unfixed prints keep if 

 stored in a light-tight box? 



H. S. Bird, Amherst, N. S. 



ANSWER. 



Unfixed prints will keep a reasonable 

 length of time ; not, however, so long as the 

 paper will before exposure. If kept too long, 

 say, more than a few weeks, they will have 

 the appearance of under exposure when 

 finished. 



Solutions of hypo and alum will keep 

 several weeks if made with clean water and 

 corked tight. 



A good formula for amidol developer is 

 as follows : 



Amidol 30 grains 



Sodium sulphite (dry) 235 grains 



Carbonate soda (dry) 100 grains 



Bromide potassium. ...'". 3 grains 



\Vater ,,,,,, ,. : ...... . 8 ounces 



1 saw iri September issue a.piart for pre- 

 serving negatives. My plan is as lolldws i 

 My Caniera is a 8^k|j4i I Use an envel- 

 ope for each negative, 6^x8^4, open at 

 one end, 1 put up 16 prints from negatives 

 I wish to preserve and photograph them. 

 This gives me a Copy of each, about ' t l /> x l 

 inch, I paste one of these small copies on 

 the upper left corner of the envelope in 

 which I place the corresponding negative 

 and stand about 60 of these envelopes on 

 end in a box that is one inch lower than 

 the negatives, to allow plenty of light. The 

 box is about 2-2, full. This allows the nega- 

 tives to tip from one end of the box to 

 the other. When I want a certain nega- 

 tive I tip them all toward me, then let them 

 drop back from me one at a time till the 

 picture I am looking for, pasted 011 the 

 upper left corner of envelope, shows up, 

 and I have the negative wanted. I num- 

 ber each negative and put each class in a 

 separate box. 



Will some reader of Recreation tell me 

 the best way to enlarge negatives ; for in- 

 stance, to enlarge 6>4 x 8 l / 2 to 16 x 18. 



S. N. Leek, Jackson, Wyo. 



I saw in Recreation a recipe for a pre- 

 paration to dress the outside of a leather- 

 covered camera. I have lost my copy and 

 would be grateful if you would reprint the 

 receipt. 



Mrs. Sophia Sykes, Gloversville, N- Y. 



ANSWER. 



A good dressing for cameras and carry- 

 ing cases is Glycerale liquid shoe blacking. 

 Apply freely, allow it to dry and polish 

 with a woolen rag. — Editor. 



In place of the cleansing fluid recom- 

 mended on page xxxiv of September Rec- 

 reation, I suggest gasoline. It will posi- 

 tively work. 



The formula for removing varnish from 

 negatives, page xxxvi, is good but results 

 will be disagreeable to hands and nose. 

 Substitute what is known as banana oil, 

 which is the best known solvent for varnish, 

 It may be found in any paint supply house. 

 Juen Doux, Utica, N. Y. 



William Burton, of 1016 Arsenal street, 

 St. Louis, Mo., is organizing an associ- 

 ation of amateur photographers, to which 

 all amateurs living in the State of Missouri 

 are eligible. His scheme is comprehensive 

 and practical, and all persons interested in 

 amateur"" photography should communicate 

 with him at once, 



