4 86 



RECREA TION. 



ist, '' The Shepherd and His Sheep "E. J. Swetland. 



2d, " Winter Evening " Herman lilies. 



3d, " In the Shade " B. J. Warren. 



4th, " I'm Ready fur My Picture,'' . . S. J. Power. 



5th, " Early Spring " G. L. Stone. 



6th, " A Glimpse of the Oswego 



River " Fred Darrow. 



7th, " Nature " Robt. Walstrom. 



8th, " On Guard " Fred Darrow. 



9th, "' Logging Team " H. C. Eberhart. 



10th, " My First Snap Shot " Mrs. H. L. Darling 



nth, lk The Home of the Trout " Francis W. Sprague. 



In Recreation's first competition, held 

 a year ago, there were but about 100 entries; 

 in the second, over 600. Thus it will be 

 observed that Recreation is reaching out 

 in the field of amateur photography, as in 

 everything else. 



My 3d annual competition will open 

 January ist, '98, and close April 30th of 

 the same year. It may be safely predicted 

 that more than 1,000 amateur photogra- 

 phers will compete in that contest, and that 

 more than 2,000 pictures will be submitted. 



I had hoped to have reproduced some of 

 the winning pictures in this issue of Rec- 

 reation, but my editions have grown so 

 large that it is necessary to go to press at 

 least 3 weeks before the date of issue. Sev- 

 eral of the first forms were on the press 

 before the contest closed. A number of 

 winning pictures are now in the hands of 

 the engraver, and will appear in the July 

 number. Others will follow in August, 

 September, October, etc. All those com- 

 mended by the judges will be published, in 

 time, as also many they were compelled to 

 pass over without noticing in this way. 



I tender my heart-felt thanks to all the 

 amateur photographers who have so gen- 

 erously responded to my request for entries 

 in this competition, and beg to assure them 

 that their good will and their co-operation 

 are heartily and cordially appreciated. 



"The precarious nature of the supply of platinum was 

 well shown a year or 2 ago, when a small combination was 

 able to ' bull ' the price of this metal almost to the value 

 of gold. It will therefore be good news to photographers 

 that a new source of supply has been discovered, of such 

 large area that it may fairly be expected to bring down 

 the price to a level never before reached. We read that 

 in New South Wales. a bed of platiniferous lead, over a 

 mile long, has been discovered. It has been known for 

 some time past that the metal was there, but it had not 

 been properly workca. It is said the platinum is present 

 to the large extent of 75 per cent." — British Journal of 

 Photography. 



Since this appeared many other photo- 

 graphic and scientific journals have pub- 

 lished similar information, and their writ- 

 ings have been recently copied by some 

 intercolonial journals. From personal in- 

 quiries, made at the Department of Mines 

 of New South Wales, Sydney, we are in a 

 position to state that no such extensive find 

 of platinum has been made in the Colony, 

 and that at the present time the value of this 

 metal is nearly equal to gold. — " Australian 

 Photographic Journal." 



give prints their natural color, when dipped 

 in the solution. Do you know whether it 

 has been placed on the market? If so please 

 tell me the price and where it can be pro- 

 cured. J. R., Yazoo City, Miss. 



Answer. — No such process has yet been 

 proven effective for general use, though 

 some remarkable results have been ob- 

 tained from experiments. An account of 

 another successful experiment, in this line, 

 is given in this issue of Recreation. My 

 readers will be kept fully advised of the 

 progress made by students. 



Editor. 



I have just finished a book of photo- 

 graphs, that I have taken on my hunting 

 trips, and it lies on a stand in my den. I 

 advise every sportsman to carry a camera 

 with him, when going into the woods, as a 

 number of good views and a diary bring 

 back the joys of a hunting or fishing trip 

 more vividly than anything else can. A 

 camera that will take a good picture is all 

 that is needed. This highly finished wood 

 and beautiful grained leather is liable to 

 injury while being kicked around a camp. 

 W. H. D., Augusta, Me. 



To make a phantom picture, put a sheet 

 of ground glass behind a portrait negative 

 and place it against a window strongly 

 lighted. Darken all the panes except the 

 one against which the negative is placed, 

 then look steadily at one point of the nega- 

 tive for about half a minute. On then di- 

 recting the eye toward the dimly illumi- 

 nated ceiling of the room a beautiful 

 positive, of a rich sepia, will be seen. By this 

 simple method a likeness can be recognized 

 by those who are not practised in examin- 

 ing negatives. — " Photographic News." 



A new ink is announced, that will write 

 on glass, and can take the place of paper 

 labels on bottles, etc., as it is indelible. 

 It is made by dissolving 20 grams of brown 

 lacquer (not heated) in 150 cc. of commer- 

 cial alcohol, and mixing this, a drop at a 

 time, with a solution of 35 grams of borax, 

 dissolved in 250 cc. of distilled water. It 

 can then be colored as preferred; 1 gram of 

 methylene violet, for instance, will produce 

 a handsome ink. — " Nouveaux Remedes." 



It is said that in England large photo- 

 graphs are being extensively used for wall 

 paper. Here is a hint which enterprising 

 Yankee photographers may easily turn to 

 profit. 



Some time ago I read of a Frenchman 

 who had discovered a compound that would 



Send short items for this department. 

 Fellow readers will thank you for them, as 

 well. 



The Editor. 



