This section is from the book "Complete Self-Instructing Library Of Practical Photography", by J. B. Schriever. Also available from Amazon: Complete Self-Instructing Library Of Practical Photography.
Prints Appear Dark In Dark-Room. Prints will appear darker in the yellow light of the dark-room than in daylight when finished. Bear this in mind, and do not stop development too soon.
Stopping Action Of Developer. When developing with Metol-Hydroquinon developer, the development can be stopped instantly by immersing the print in a salt bath made up as follows: One ounce of salt to 10 ounces of water.
Developing Light. Prints must never be exposed to any light except that of the dark-room-the yellow light-vntil they are fixed. All the work of Bromide enlarging can be done in a strong yellow light.
Rusty, Green Tones. Over-exposure and weak developer will produce rusty, green tones.
Drying Bromide. Never dry bromide prints between blotting papers.
Washing. Prints should be thoroughly washed in 30 minutes, using running water or giving the prints frequent changes.
Fixing And Washing. It is better to thoroughly fix and wash little than to prolong the washing and not fix properly.
Life Of Developer. The same developer can be used for a number of prints in succession, but should be thrown away when it becomes slow in action. Unless you do this the resulting tones on the prints will be poor.
Cracked Trays. Cracked, or rough surfaced developing trays will cause marks and lines on the prints.
Prints Sticking Together. Prints should never be allowed to stick together in the fixing bath, as that is apt to cause stains.
Stains From Old Developer. Developer which is old or used too often will cause stains.
Cleanliness. By observing absolute cleanliness throughout the entire manipulation you will avoid stains.
Master One Brand Of Paper. Use one brand of paper; stick to it; learn to understand it.
Trial Exposures. Making trial exposures on slips of paper will pay you in the long run.
Agitate Developer. Keep the developer agitated by rocking the developing tray, but never rock in one direction only.
Finger Marks. Never touch the sensitive surface of the paper; fingers are apt to be moist or dirty and these will cause stains and spots.
White Light. Never expose the prints to any light except that of the dark-room until they are thoroughly fixed.
Stains On Edges Of Print. Stains on the edges of prints are sometimes due to old paper, but more often they are caused by paper coming in contact with the edge of the hypo tray before it is fixed.
 
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