J. Garfield Gibson

When the ground is covered with Kipling's "Beautiful" to the depth of several inches and the chilling north winds remind us that straw hats and shirt waists are no longer seasonable, the average amateur folds his tripod, pokes his head under his focusing cloth and as far as photography is concerned calmly awaits the coming of another spring.

It is to this class of photographers that I hope, as the country orator says, "my few scattered remarks" will prove beneficial.

Many of the greatest pleasures of photography are those which can be experienced in the dark-room during the long winter evenings. Of the many novelties which can be made by the amateur there is nothing more beautiful than the natural color and tinted transparencies which we often see hanging in windows suspended by 'chains. These are very easily made, as I hope the following article will clearly demonstrate.

First it is wise as a start to choose what you would call a good negative: That is one which has been timed about right and developed to about the correct density. The plates upon which the transparencies are made need not of necessity be other than the ordinary plates used in general work. Special plates are, however, made for this work with a border of ground glass around the edge and are of course preferable.

Before printing be sure and dust off both negative and plate very carefully. As regards exposure-this will have to be learned by experience and much depends on speed of plate, density of negative and light used for making exposure. But an ordinary plate with an average negative held about 18 inches from a gas jet requires from one to six seconds. The exposure being made, the plate can be developed at once or kept in a tight box until some future time.

For developing we have as wide a choice as for ordinary work but I have found hydrochinon to give the best results and the following formula works equally well for either transparencies or lantern slide?:

No. I.

Sulphite Soda (crystals), 400 grains. Dissolve, filter and add water to make 6 ounces.

Hydrochinon ......................120 grains.

No. II.

Carbonate of Potassium ...........240 grains.

Water to make ................... 6 ounces.

For use take 1 oz. each of Nos. 1 and 2 and add two ounces of water. This water may be decreased or increased as may seem fit. Development should be carried on until the picture comes out clear and distinct.

The fixer for transparencies should be a little weaker than for ordinary plates. After fixing wash and dry as usual.

If you are using regular transparency plates your task is now completed, otherwise you must back it with a piece of ground glass, same size.

You can now bind your finished article in one of the metal frames supplied by all dealers or hang it by chains, doubling the chains at the corners.

Many beautiful effects may be obtained by coloring the transparencies and I give below some formulas for so doing.

Having proceeded as described above immerse plate in any of the following baths until desired tint is obtained. Red Bath.

Carmine (in grains)............... 5 parts.

Liquid Ammonia .................. 15 parts.

Distilled water ....................120 parts.

Blue Bath.

Prussian Blue ..................... 50 parts.

Oxalic Acid ........................ 50 parts.

Distilled water ....................120 parts.

Yellow Bath.

Gamboge .......................... 50 parts.

Saffron ............................ 50 parts.

Distilled water ....................150 parts.

(Above yellow bath must boil five minutes and then be filtered.)

After being treated in any of the above, plates should be washed in several changes of water and be dried free from dust.-"Western Camera Notes."