4 86 



knch'ii.-rrroN. 



success. The standard cameras of the day 

 are usually provided with such, and in buy 

 ing them one is reasonably sure of getting 

 an instrument satisfactory in every respect. 

 H. D. Grose, Ann Arbor, Mich. 



METOL-HYDROCHINONE DEVELOPER. 



Will you kindly publish a formula for a 

 good 2 solution metol hydrochinone devel- 

 oper for plates, one that can be kept as a 

 stock solution and used diluted when de- 

 sired? 



I strongly advise all who use developing 

 paper to give Darko a trial. A friend and 

 I have used a quantity of this paper and 

 found it as good as Velox, except that it 

 is not so sensitive. With Welsbach light 

 only 20 seconds' exposure is necessary ; 

 with diffused daylight even less is required. 

 Darko is about 50 per cent, cheaper than 

 Velox. I have found the blacks and whites 

 as good with this paper as with others. It 

 can be obtained in a variety of surfaces. 

 Floyd D. Palmer, Earlville, N. Y. 



ANSWER. 



Metol-Hydrochinone Developer. 



No. 1. 



Metol 1 ounce 



Hydrochinone % ounce 



Sulphite of soda, crystals 6 ounces 



Pure hot water 80 ounces 



No. 2. 



Carbonate of soda, crystals 5 ounces 



Pure water 80 ounces 



For Use. 



Solution No. 1 1 ounce 



Solution No. 2 1 ounce 



Pure water 2 ounces 



REGARDING CITRATE. 

 In January Recreation the use of a ci- 

 trate in place of a bromide as a restrainer 

 is advised. If the author refers to citrate 

 of potassium, I think he is mistaken in say- 

 ing that the price of citrate is high. Citrate 

 of potassium, citric acid and citrate of so- 

 dium are quoted wholesale at a price that 

 allows the druggist to sell them at 60 cents 

 a pound with a good profit, and bromide at 

 50 cents. The statement that the citrate 

 could be prepared by the addition of sul- 

 phuric acid to carbonate of potassium or 

 sodium is wrong. The addition of sul- 

 phuric acid to carbonate of potassium or 

 sodium produces sulphate of potassium in 

 one case and sulphate of sodium in the 

 second. Citrate of potassium is prepared 

 by taking 6 ounces of citric acid dissolved 

 in 2 pints of distilled water, to which 8 

 ounces carbonate of potassium is gradually 

 added. If the resulting solution is not neu 

 tral, it is made so by the further addition 

 of carbonate potassium or citric acid. The 

 solution is then filtered and evaporated to 

 dryness. A- M. K., Roxbury, Mass. 



SALTING AND SENSITIZING PLAIN PAPER. 

 Boil 2 ounces of distilled water, to 

 which has been added \ dram of aqua am- 

 monia. When boiling, saponify as much 

 fine French resin as will neutralize the al- 

 kali. Test with litmus. Of this solution 

 of saponified resin, filter out 1 ounce; take 

 of water 4 ounces; heat above and add 

 gelatine, previously swelled, 6 grains ; am- 

 monia chloride, previously dissolved in wa- 

 ter, 190 grains. Bath at this point should 

 be neutral. Acidify till the blue litmus re- 

 action is decided, and with citric acid make 

 up bath to 40 ounces. Float paper on above 

 bath 3 minutes, dry and float on 80-grain 

 silver bath. This paper fumed 25 minutes 

 will print black, and toned with chloro- 

 platinite of potassium will give engraving- 

 black prints Of beautiful brilliancy. The 

 sensitized paper is fairly durable. — The 

 Photo- American. 



Frequently we see articles on pin holes 

 and spotting mediums. I avoid both by 

 using only the best brands of plates. Cheap 

 plates are cheap in every sense and produce 

 more pin holes than pictures. Dust the 

 plate lightly before putting it in the holder. 

 After exposure, put in a tray of cold water 

 2 or 3 minutes and then mop well with a 

 tuft of wet absorbent cotton. I do not 

 average one pin hole to 2 dozen 5x7 plates 

 since following this method. 



T. H. Wade, Helena, Mont. 



Please give through Recreation a for- 

 mula for developer that will make a 

 dense negative. Will it give better re- 

 sults than any on the market? 



Geo. H. Bortz, Sebring, Ohio. 



ANSWER. 



All makers give such a formula for 

 their individual plates. Use Carbutt B 16 

 plates and the developer recommended and 

 the results will be all that can be desired. 

 — Editor. 



I thank those of your correspondents 

 who wrote me direct in reply to my letter 

 in December Recreation on the subject of 

 cyco paper. I started to answer them, but 

 they came so fast it was practically im- 

 possible to answer all. Some of the writers 

 advised me to use argo paper and I shall 

 try it later. 



J. E. Bates, Spokane, Wash. 



During the past year I have taken regu- 

 larly 3 sportsmen's periodicals, with occa- 

 sionally a fourth. I have decided that for 

 this year I shall take but one and of course 

 I have picked out the one I consider the 

 best; it is also incidentally the cheapest, 

 namely, Recreation. C 



J. W. Steward, Battle Creek, Mich. 



