_Improvements in the Albumenized Process._--Your expectation of being soon
able to announce the successful manufacture of a new negative calotype
paper, will, I am sure, be gladly received by many photographers, and
especially by those who, like me, have been subjected to much
disappointment with Turner's paper. For one sheet that has turned out well,
at least half-a-dozen have proved useless from spottiness, and some sheets
do not take the iodizing solution evenly, from an apparent want of
uniformity in the texture of the paper, which causes the solution to
penetrate portions the moment it is laid on the solution. Undoubtedly, when
it does succeed, it is superior to Whatman's, but this is not enough to
compensate for its extreme uncertainty.
In DR. DIAMOND'S directions for the calotype, he gave a formula for the
addition of bromide of potassium to the iodide of potassium, but did not
speak with much certainty as to the proportions. Will he kindly say whether
he has made farther trials; and if so, whether they confirm the proportions
given by him, or have led him to adopt any change in this respect? and will
he likewise say whether the iodizing solution which he recommends for
Turner's paper, is suitable also to Whatman's?
In albumenizing paper, I have not found it desirable to remove the paper
very slowly from the solution. Whenever I have done so, it has invariably
dried with waves and streaks, which quite spoiled the sheet. A steady
motion, neither too slow nor too quick, I have found succeed perfectly, so
that I now never spoil a sheet. I have used the solution with less albumen
than recommended by DR. DIAMOND. My formula has been.--
Albumen 8 oz.
Water 12 oz.
Muriate ammon. 60 grs.
Common salt 60 grs.
And this, I find, gives a sufficient gloss to the paper; but that of course
is a matter of taste.
I have not either found it essential to allow the paper to remain on the
solution three minutes or longer, as recommended by DR. DIAMOND. With
Canson paper, either negative or positive, a minute and a half has been
sufficient. I have used two dishes, and as soon as a sheet was removed,
drained, and replaced, I have taken the sheet from the other dish. In this
way I found that each sheet lay on the solution about one and a half
minutes, and with the assistance of a person to hang and dry them (which I
have done before a fire), I have prepared from forty to forty-five sheets
in an hour, requiring of course to be ironed afterwards.
I have tried a solution of nitrate of silver of thirty grains to one ounce
of distilled water, to excite this paper, and it appears to answer just as
well as forty grains. I send you two small collodion views, takes by me and
printed on albumenized paper prepared as mentioned, and excited with a
30-grain solution of nitrate of silver.
Is there any certain way of telling the right side of Canson paper,
negative and positive? On the positive paper on one side, when held in a
particular position towards the light, shaded bars may be observed; and on
this side, when looked _through_, the name reads right. Is this the right
or the wrong side?