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RECREATION. 



reducer. It does not leave that smooth sur- 

 face to the film which is so hard to stipple. 

 Care should be used with it, as it is a vio- 

 lent alkali and deadly poison. Even its 

 fumes are unhealthful. 



Too much care can not be exercised 

 in cleaning lenses, for even with the great- 

 est precaution scratches are made and 

 they undoubtedly impair the speed. An 

 astonishing number of them appear in 

 an enlarging camera where electric light 

 is used. There are millions that are not 

 apparent under other conditions. Silk 

 handkerchiefs may be all right for cleaning 

 a lens, but it is almost impossible to leave 

 a scratch when a piece of absorbent cot- 

 ton is used, and it cleans more thoroughly 

 also. Any lint that is left can readily 

 be removed with a soft camel's hair brush. 



The simplest way to keep developing 

 solutions at a normal temperature is to 

 heat water, put it in a tray the size of the 

 one you use to develop with, and when 

 ready for work keep the last mentioned 

 sitting in it. By heating both trays 

 before use sufficient heat can be kept in 

 the developer to bring up any negative. 



To avoid too great contrast use the 

 metol pyro formula that comes with the 

 plate. Develop with the metol until the 

 image is well out, then add the pyro to 

 give the strength. They will bring out 

 all there is in the film. 

 Professional and Amateur Photographer. 



SNAP SHOTS. 

 One cloudy day while printing, I de- 

 cided to make a transparency from an 

 unused end of roll film. It was not my 

 intention to make anything especially 

 good. Hastily selecting a glass plate, I 

 placed it in a frame and put in the film 

 as one would place the paper. This I 

 did in the dark room. I then placed the 

 frame in weak daylight and left it 8 or 

 10 seconds. It was quite a surprise 



to find on development that the film was 

 an exact copy of the original negative, 

 excepting not quite so sharply cut. Can 

 you tell why it was a negative instead 

 of a positive, as one would naturally ex- 

 pect? W., Ulrichsville, Ohio. 



ANSWER. 



An exposure of i second to a light- 

 ed match held 2 feet from the holder 

 would have afforded you a positive. 

 Where great overexposure is given, as 

 you gave, a negative from a negative or 

 a positive from a positive is the invariable 

 result and the well known fact is com- 

 monly resorted to by all who have plates 

 to duplicate. — Editor. 



As the snows of winter come anew, 

 my troubles begin. I can not get a good 

 view of the mountains' snow covered tops. 

 The sky will not be white. The mountains 

 are not distinct. The toning does not 



seem to do its worker is the faultjwitji me? 

 The print I enclose, I took about 10.30 a. m. 

 with a fair, bright sun shining. The stop 

 was down to 64 and I gave 15 seconds' 

 exposure. I made 3 exposures that day 

 under similar conditions, the results be- 

 ing nearly the same. Later I made 3 

 exposures with an Al Vista front attached 

 on Eastman films. The weather con- 

 ditions were similar and results were 

 about the same, only I used a much larger 

 stop. The tops of the ranges and the 

 sky are nearly the same color. 



C. N. Truman, Ouray, Colo. 



ANSWER. 



You have overtimed the plate and have 

 not developed enough. When you think 

 your plates are developed, leave them 

 in 5 minutes longer. It will be good for 

 them. — Editor. 



Will you please publish a formula and 

 directions for coating silk or other cloth 

 with blue print emulsion? Mrs. W. S. 

 Wands, Oakland, Cal. 



ANSWER. 



The simplest way to sensitize the cloth is 

 to immerse it till wet through in the blue 

 print solution, wring out and dry while 

 stretched. Sensitizing and drying must 

 be done in dim light or by gaslight at 

 night. You can buy 12 tubes of perfect 

 sensitizer for blue print work for 50 cents 

 from E. W. Newcomb, Bible House, New 

 York City, or if you prefer to make your 

 own, use 64 grains of ammonia citrate of 

 iron in an ounce of water, 48 grains of 

 red prussiate of potash in another ounce 

 of water and when fully dissolved, mix 

 the 2. Martin's silk solutions are best 

 for silk but they afford brown and black 

 tones only. 



I note the prize winning photo, 

 "Resting," in February, 1902, Recrea- 

 tion. Do you intentionally print photos 

 of game killed or crippled out of season, 

 or does the New York law permit one to 

 kill deer during the summer? If you will 

 examine the photo carefully and read the 

 article regarding it in the photo, depart- 

 ment I think you will agree with me that 

 this buck was killed during the latter part 

 of July; certainly not later than August. 

 His horns are in the velvet, and he has 

 the short summer coat. Note the wrinkles 

 in the neck. 



A. E. Hammond, Darby, Mont. 



Will Mrs. Kirschner please explain?— 

 Editor. 



Photographers are again reminded that 

 they should always write their names and 

 addresses on the backs of pictures which 

 they send to this office. Valuable photos 

 occasionally come in here without any 

 clue to the identity of the maker, and a 

 great deal of trouble might be saved if 

 the amateurs would, in all cases, take the 

 precaution to sign their pictures. 



