198 



RECREATION. 



dense and requires reduction locally, or the 

 whole slide would be better for a trifle more 

 opacity. Lantern slides, unlike negatives, 

 require their opacity to be exact, or the ef- 

 fect when they are projected on the screen 

 is unsatisfactory. 



The reducer introduced by Mr. H. Far- 

 mer is particularly useful in slide work if 

 not used too strong. One and a half grains 

 to the ounce is strong enough, though for 

 local reductions of dense portions this may 

 be slightly exceeded. The most convenient 

 way of making up this reducer is to keep 

 a 10 per cent solution of the potassium fer- 

 ricyanide made up, and to add 10 or 20 

 minims of this to each ounce of water. 

 The quantity of hyposulphite left in the 

 film and on the surface of the plate when it 

 is removed from the fixing bath is sufficient 

 to effect reduction, though after reduction 

 and good rinsing the plate may be replaced 

 in the fixing bath for some minutes with 

 advantage. 



A good lantern plate with suitable devel- 

 oper should, on being removed from the 

 fixing bath, show perfect freedom from any 

 surface mark or deposit, except that which 

 forms the image. Occasionally when devel- 

 oping for warm colors, an irregular white 

 deposit occurs on the film. This may be re- 

 moved by washing and rubbing slightly 

 with a tuft of cotton wool, but the ferri- 

 cyanide reducer is much simpler and safer. 

 Flow a weak solution over the plate 2 or 3 

 times, just long enough to remove the de- 

 posit without reducing the image. 



A reliable intensifier is especially useful 

 when making slides having warm colors, as 

 these slides are not easy to obtain of the 

 exact density. The following formula may 

 be relied on to give satisfactory results 

 without the least influence on the color: 



A. Hydroquinone 20 grains 



Citric acid . 20 " 



Distilled water 20 ounces 



B. Silver nitrate 20 grains 



Nitric acid 5 minims 



Distilled water 20 ounces 



Take equal parts to form the intensifier. 

 The plate should be well washed after fix- 

 ing and placed for some minutes in an alum 

 bath, and again well washed before inten- 

 sification. As the intensified S'lide, when 

 dry, is somewhat denser than it appears 

 when wet, allowance must be made for this 

 and intensification stopped somewhat short 

 of the required degree. Rinse the plate 

 thoroughly under the tap after intensifying 

 and place in the fixing bath a short time, to 

 remove any silver chloride that may have 

 been precipitated in the film. 



Another intensifier of considerable v iue 

 to the lantern slide maker is that of M. M. 

 Lumiere. The formula is : 



Sodium sulphite 1*4 ounces 



Mercuric iodide 30 grains 



Water 6 ounces 



Rinse the slide well on taking it from 

 the fixing bath and flow it over with the 

 foregoing intensifier, when density will 

 soon accrue. After a good washing, re- 

 develop the slide with some developer such 

 as amidol. 



TO MOUNT ARISTO PLATINO PRINTS. 



I am a most interested reader of your 

 magazine, especially the photo department. 

 I develop my own prints and do all the 

 work connected with my photography, to 

 the best of my ability. It is the most in- 

 teresting work I ever did. 



Will you please tell me the best way to 

 dry Aristo platino prints for mounting in 

 albums? Is there any way to prevent their 

 being stiff and inclined to curl. 



How can I make a good enlargement 

 from a 4x5 print or negative on a 5x7 plate? 

 I have a copying lens but have never been 

 able to get a good enlarged copy from a 

 print. 



Can flash powder be used for making an 

 instantaneous picture? When I try to take 

 on the subjects have a startled look. 



G. K. Taylor, Paw Paw, Mich. 



ANSWER. 



If you will write the American Aristo- 

 type company, of Jamestown, N. Y., they 

 will send you a copy of their Aristo Man- 

 ual, in which you will find full directions 

 for working their brands of paper. 



Platino prints can be mounted in albums, 

 after they are dried, by flattening them as 

 follows : 



After the final washing of prints allow 

 them to dry in the open air. When thor- 

 oughly dry draw them through corner- 

 wise, face down, between a felt top desk and 

 the back of a hard rubber comb pressed 

 down firmly on back of print. By drawing 

 prints through several times in this way 

 all tendency to curl is removed. 



By applying a solution of warm gelatine 

 to the outer edge of print, and then placing 

 it in the album under pressure immediately, 

 you can mount prints without causing a 

 cockling or warping of the album leaves. 

 The gelatine should not be too thick. 



A possible reason for your not being able 

 to make an enlargement of a 4x5 print 

 may be that the bellows of your camera 

 is not long enough. I suggest that you 

 consult a photographer as to this question. 



Flashlight pictures are generally made 

 with short exposure, to avoid any move- 

 ment of the sitters. It is always best for 

 subjects to turn the face away from the 

 flash, otherwise they will have an unnat- 

 ural expression of the eyes. — Editor. 



