132 



RECREATION \ 



pleasantly apparent when the slide dries, as 

 the shadows usually become heavy, losing 

 the transparency of slides that have not 

 been subjected to toning operations. 



(To be continued.) 



PYRO. 



In spite of the numerous new developing 

 agents that are placed on the market from 

 time to time, pyro still continues to hold its 

 place as the standard developer. That the 

 manufacturers of the newer developers re- 

 cognize its worth is evinced by their claims 

 that their developer is equal to pyro, or 

 produces results like pyro. After a fair 

 trial of many of the more recent produc- 

 tions, I for one am certain that as a de- 

 veloping agent for plates and films, pyro is 

 still pre-eminently the best. Much of the 

 prejudice against pyro is due to a lack of 

 knowledge as to the best method of pre- 

 paring it for use. A description of the 

 method I have used for some years with 

 good results may help to solve the problem 

 for some of those who have had unpleasant 

 experiences in the past with stained fingers 

 and spoiled developer. 



To be at its best, pyro developer must be 

 freshly mixed, as it oxidizes in solution the 

 quickest^ of any developer. My developer is 

 made as follows : . 



Take 2 4-ounce bottles with large necks. 

 In one put a handful of sodium sulphite, 

 either crystals or the dried powder. In the 

 other bottle put the same quantity of sod- 

 ium carbonate, commonly known as sal 

 soda. Fill the bottles with water, using 

 boiled water if possible. The idea is to 

 make saturated solutions of these 2 chemi- 

 cals and to this end there should always be 

 a quantity of undissolved crystals in each 

 bottle. 



To make a normal developing solution 

 take one dram of each of these solutions to 

 each ounce of water, and add one to 2 

 grains of dry pyro for each ounce of wa- 

 ter used. 



^ For measuring the pyro I use a wooden 

 mustard spoon which holds 2 grains when 

 dipped up even full from the box. The han- 

 dle of this spoon is cut short, so it can be 

 kept in the box of pyro. 



The superiority of this method of work- 

 ing is at once apparent. Both sulphite and 

 carbonate of soda are stable in solution, 

 •though after a time the sulphite probably 

 changes somewhat, but this need not trou- 

 ble the amateur, as the quantity of solution 

 mentioned (4 ounces) will be used long be- 

 fore any change can take place. 



By adding the pyro dry there is no guess- 

 work as to its strength. In case of under 

 exposure, or whenever desirable, the devel- 

 oper may be easily modified, as one may in- 

 crease any of the components at will. 



Bromide of potassium is not needed; at 



least I find ho use for it, though it will 

 do no harm if one wishes to use it. The 

 proportions I have mentioned as constitut- 

 ing a normal developer may of course be 

 modified to suit different plates at the 

 pleasure of the user, but I find that the de- 

 veloper as given works nicely with nearly 

 all the standard makes of plates now on 

 the market. Some may require a trifle 

 more pyro to produce the required density; 

 and it may be desirable to increase or re- 

 duce the quantity of sulphite solution, ac- 

 cording to whether one prefers a negative 

 of a gray or a brown tint, increasing the 

 sulphite if a gray color is desired. In any 

 case, the character of the negative is much 

 under the control of the operator, and the 

 advantages of this method of working can 

 not fail to impress anyone who gives it a 

 fair trial. 



C. M. Whitney, Bayonne, N. J. 



SNAP SHOTS. 

 There is no doubt that better results may 

 be secured by using backed plates, for in- 

 terior as well as landscape work, especially 

 where one photographs slightly toward the 

 sun or where the strong lights filter 

 through the tree tops. I would not use 

 anything but a backed plate for any sub- 

 ject. It is simple to back your own plates. 

 Get a bottle of regular photo paste and 

 mix a small portion with water and burnt 

 sienna or burn umber. If alcohol is used, 

 the backing will dry more rapidly. In 

 backing I use a V/2 inch brush, going over 

 the back of the plate until it is all covered. 

 Keep as far from your light as possible 

 when backing, to avoid the danger of fog- 

 ging the plate. Before developing have a 

 pail of clean water and soak the plate a few 

 minutes ; then the backing will come off 

 readily. Try it. It is a great improve- 

 ment. C, Bethlehem, Pa. 



Local reduction of a too intense high 

 light can often be accomplished by rubbing 

 down that portion of the negative with a 

 wad of cotton wet with wood alcohol. The 

 cotton should not be so 'full of alcohol that 

 it flows out on the film. This means of re- 

 ducing is under perfect control, and one 

 can rub the film as thin as can be desired. 

 It leaves no stain or mark which will show 

 in the print. 



At times my chrome alum fixing bath 

 has become muddy and the precipitate has 

 given the negatives a mottled appearance. 

 I used the Cramer formula for the bath 

 and followed directions but yet the thing 

 often happened. I find that by reducing 

 the quantity of sulphuric acid slightly and 

 by slowly adding one solution B to solution 

 A, with continuous stirring, the bath re- 

 mains clear and clean. 



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



