464 



RECREATION. 



of plalc to lens, I get, as you are aware, a 

 picture backward. How can I make a 

 reversed negative from il ? Would I have 

 to make a positive plate and then make 

 negative from that ~ J 



How can I keep the thin film from 

 peeling off the surface of metalotype pa- 

 per? It gets soft in washing. 



V. J. Belfoy, Ottawa, Out. 



ANSWER. 



Yes, to get a reversed negative from 

 your first one. make a positive and then 

 make a negative from that, as you sug- 

 gest. 



To prevent films from peeling paper use 

 cold washing water, or a weak hath of 

 alum after fixing, or place in weak solu- 

 tion of formalin. — Editor. 



The question of how long a dry plate 

 will remain good between exposure and de- 

 velopment, which is answered in a recent 

 issue of Recreation, calls to mind a con- 

 versation on that subject which I had about 

 3 years ago with a man who was one of the 

 pioneer dry plate makers and sold to some 

 of New York's best known photographers 

 the first dry plates they ever used. He 

 claimed he had made a test of the staying 

 quality of his plate by making an exposure 

 on his daughter and allowing the plate to 

 remain undeveloped 12 years, at the end 

 of which time he developed it and obtained 

 a good picture. This statement is per- 

 fectly safe in my hands, for I shall never 

 have the patience either to verify or dis- 

 prove it. 



G. B. Cardwell, Brooklyn, N. Y. v . 



I have tried several times, carefully, the 

 formula published in Recreation to make 

 blue print paper, Jt looks right before 

 printing, but when put to wash all disap- 

 pears. The time exposed seems to make no 

 difference. What is the trouble? 



O. (X Colby, Big Fork, Mont, 



ANSWER. 



The 2 solutions should be kept in sepa- 

 rate, dark colored bottles, secure from light 

 and air. Mix a few minutes before use and 

 apply with brush or otherwise. Allow 7 to 

 dry. This paper will not keep long, ac- 

 cording to weather; sometimes only 3 or 4 

 days. You probably use a poor quality of 

 paper. Try a good drawing paper like 

 Helios. — Editor. 



When one has a negative in which there 

 is a good cloudy sky, which requires more 

 exposure than the trees, etc., it is a good 

 plan to proceed in the following manner, 

 says an exchange : Expose on velox or 

 other paper in the ordinary manner. For 



development, start by applying the solution 

 to the part containing the clouds, and as 

 soon as they show signs of appearing, im- 

 merse the whole print in the solution. Such 

 procedure does not give a line of demarca- 

 tion between the sky and the landscape, be- 

 cause during the first part of the operation 

 the paper will absorb the solution iiv such 

 a manner as to graduate the limit. 



Can you give me a formula for retouch- 

 ing varnish that contains ether? 



E. O. Dean, Cortland, N. Y. 



ANSWER. 



Shellac 0.035 ounce. 



Sandarac 0.21 ounce. 



Mastic 0.21 ounce. 



Ether 2.7 fluid drams. 



Add 2.7 fluid drams of pure benzole to the 

 mixture after the resins have dissolved i' 

 the ether. — Editor. 



A clearing solution to remove yellow- 

 stain caused by developer is made as fol- 

 lows: 



Sulphate of iron 3 ounces. 



Sulphuric acid 1 ounce. 



Alum 1 ounce. 



Water 20 ounces. 



Wash well to remove all hypo from nega- 

 tive, then immerse in the solution until the 

 stain is removed ; again wash well and dry. 

 — Exchange. 



I have been a regular reader of Recrea- 

 tion 2 years. It is great. I take much in- 

 terest in your photographic department and 

 especially in the prize winers you publish. 

 I am an amateur and have a collection of 

 views taken with a Poco C. 4 * 5- I should 

 like to exchange views with any one who 

 has anything of interest. 



Clayton Lyttle, Harrisburg, Pa. 



The suggestion by L. Goodrich is good, 

 and I should be delighted to join a Rec- 

 reation camera club. We could, if neces- 

 sary, have several clubs, so there could be 

 meetings and excursions in different States. 

 There are not many amateurs here, hut I 

 think there soon will he. I. for one, will 

 help all I can. 



Charles Metz, Sheridan, Wyo. 



I notice in looking through your depart- 

 ment of amateur photography that Mr. C. 

 Steckman, of Minerva, Ohio, has trouble 

 with rust spots on his negatives. Let him 

 try a weak solution of perchloride of iron 

 and soak his negatives until the spots dis- 

 appear. 



O. Denny, Martinsburg, Ind. 



