48 



PHOTO-MICROGRAPHY 



the most thickly concreted floor in a cellar beneath the level of the ground will 

 certainly not suffice to entirely eliminate it. The best plan, where such troubles exist, 

 is to adopt an arrangement such as is used by the " process block " engravers. It 

 consists essentially in slinging the whole table, bereft of its legs, to two beams placed 

 across the apartment. An upper room, instead of a cellar, can then be employed for 

 the work, which is far more comfortable, seeing it can be warmed and kept free of 

 damp. The details of this arrangement may be as follow : Each beam should be 

 about 4 inches wide and 3 inches thick, both being placed above the head of the 

 photographer, who thereby will save himself many a spoilt plate by an accidental jar 

 agaiust the beam, let alone an occasional ugly blow on the head. 



Four pieces of rope about the thickness of the first finger or stout wire should be 

 firmly fixed to each corner of the table, and be of such length that, when the observer 

 is sitting in a chair at the camera end of the apparatus, the ground glass is on a level 

 with the head. If the operator be desirous of making his arrangement as complete 

 as possible, it is a decided advantage for the ropes from the table to pass over large 

 wheel pulleys affixed to the beams, the apparatus being kept in equilibrium by four 

 weights. The convenience of this addition is very great, because when the micro- 

 scope is not in use a cover can be thrown over it, and the whole table pushed up out 

 of harm's way. It has another advantage, that of always being ready for use without 

 any preliminaries whatever. To complete the details, where rooms with wooden 

 floors are used, and the apparatus slung, it should not be neglected to suggest that a 

 little sand or water be kept within easy reach in an open bucket, to pour over any 

 piece of incandescent lime which may perhaps break off" and fall on the table, or more 

 unluckily still, on the floor. Let it be remembered that treading on incandescent 

 lime is not a safe thing to do, save perhaps with the heel ; neither is at all times 

 sufficient to put it out, and it may very easily cost the photographer a new sole to 

 his boot, if not a burn on his foot. Let a cupboard with lock and key be also 

 provided, and if the dark room be on the same floor it is a decided convenience. 



As regards the purchase of the apparatus itself, not for the moment considering 

 the microscope, its accessories or the limelight, but only including the camera, the 

 focussing- rod and necessary base- board upon which the remaining apparatus can be 

 placed, it is nut easy to give selective advice. All the best firms of opticians make 

 specially good forms, mostly, it is true, based on the same idea of construction, but 

 nearly all diflering somewhat in the actual details themselves. Space will not allow 

 us to mention every one in the market, and if by accident any great omission on our 



