to make lantern slides, but any one who can make a good negative can
soon learn how to make a good lantern slide. The simplest way is by
contact-printing. Select a negative free from spots, scratches, or
pinholes. It must have fine detail in the shadows, and no harsh
contrasts of light and shade. The regulation size of a lantern slide is
3-1/2 by 4, so choose a negative which will still make a good picture if
all but the portion included in these dimensions is blocked out. Cover
the part of the negative which is to be blocked out with needle-paper,
or paint it with non-actinic paint, applying it to the glass side of the
negative. The negative is placed in a printing-frame, and then by a red
light, the slide is placed over the part to be printed from, the film
side toward the negative.
If one has a lantern the light of which is suitable for printing lantern
slides, cover the negative, open the door of the lantern, and then
holding the printing-frame about fifteen inches from the light, expose
from five to twenty seconds, according to the density of the plate. A
plate that prints quickly will need but five or eight seconds, but a
denser plate will require a much longer exposure, often as long as
thirty seconds. Cover the plate as soon as it is printed, close the
lantern, remove the slide from the frame, and place it face up in the
developing-tray. Turn the developer over it quickly, taking care that
the whole surface of the plate is covered immediately. Any developer
that makes good negatives will make good lantern slides. A weak
developer is to be preferred to one which brings out the image quickly.
Develop till the detail is well out, wash and fix same as a negative.
As every imperfection in a plate is magnified many times when thrown on
the screen, great care must be taken in the developing, fixing, washing,
and drying. When the slides are washed enough, take a piece of clean
surgeon's cotton and wash the film very gently, then place to dry where
no dust will settle on the surface.
If there are any spots on the plate after washing and before drying,
they may be removed with ferricyanide of potassium in solution. Tie a
small piece of surgeon's cotton to the end of a glass rod, dip it into
the solution, and touch the spot very lightly. Rinse the plate at once,
and if the spot has not entirely disappeared, repeat the operation. The
ferricyanide works very quickly, and must be rinsed off as soon as
applied.
Negatives which are too large for contact-printing are made into lantern
slides by the process known as reduction, directions for which will be
given again if requested.
The making of lantern slides is one of the most fascinating branches of
photography, and the work is specially appropriate for winter, both in
making the slides and showing them with the lantern.
[Illustration: FIRST PRIZE, JUNIOR COMPETITION, LANDSCAPES.
By Anton H. Schefer, New York, N. Y.]
[Illustration: SECOND PRIZE, JUNIOR COMPETITION, LANDSCAPES.
By Lesley Ashburner, Media, Pennsylvania.]
[Illustration: THIRD PRIZE, JUNIOR COMPETITION, LANDSCAPES.
By Howard Cox, Helena, Montana.]
S. F. MACQUAIDE, 46 Mechlin St., Germantown, Pa., says that she has
a number of 4-by-5 views which she would like to sell. If any of
the Camera Club wish to purchase, a letter sent to address given
will bring list of subjects and price of same. Our correspondent
also wishes to buy a second-hand No. 2 Bull's-Eye camera.
B. COVER, 713 Avenue W, Ashland, Wis., has a 5-by-8 Anthony view
camera, with three double plate-holders, which he will sell cheap,
or exchange for a 4-by-5 camera.
WILLIAM O. WICKMAN, Great Barrington, Mass., wishes to purchase a
picture of the White House, Washington, D.C. Would like either 4 by
5 or 5 by 8.
JOHN G. VOLKES, 324-1/2 Eighth St., New York city, would like to
correspond with members of the Camera Club on photographic
subjects.
CLAUDE A. WOLFE, 1701 Diamond St., Philadelphia, would like to
exchange a print of the State Capitol building of Tennessee for one
of the Capitol buildings of New York, Massachusetts, and Maine; he
also asks if any member has a good view camera which he wishes to
sell, or exchange for a bicycle and a 5-by-7 Premo camera with five
plate-holders.
B. A. PORTER, 212 Tulip Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y., has views of Strong,
Me., and of Brooklyn and New York, which he would like to exchange
for views of other localities. Our correspondent asks those members
sending prints to use an extra fixing-bath in toning the prints, as
he is making a collection, and many of the prints fade after a
while. For those who do not care to exchange, and who would like
good views of the places named, he will sell unmounted views for
10c. each.
DUDLEY GREGG, Hogsett Military Academy, Danville, Ky., asks if any
member of the Camera Club has a pocket-kodak which he would like to
sell.
WILLIAM S. JOHNSON asks what is sel d'or; a good formula for
mounting-paste; a formula for metol developer; if hydrochloric and
muriatic acids are the same; and where rubber finger-tips may be
purchased. Sel d'or is a salt of perchloride of gold and
hyposulphite of soda. Starch paste made by mixing with cold water
and then boiling until of the proper consistency makes an excellent
paste for mounting photographs. It will not keep, but must be made
fresh when wanted. A good formula for metol developer is: Metol, 30
grs.; sodium sulphite crystals, 180 grs.; carbonate of potassium,
90 grs.; and water, 4 oz. Hydrochloric and muriatic acid are the
same. Dealers in photographic supplies sell rubber finger-tips.
Three finger-tips cost 15c.
R. B. T. asks if there is any remedy for a negative which is
under-developed after it is fixed. It can be intensified--in other
words, redeveloped. See directions for intensifying in No. 824,
August 13, 1895. If you have not this number, it will be mailed you
from this office on receipt of 5c.
FREDERICK S. COLLINS asks if solio toning solution can be used for
toning albumen and aristo prints; and what makes a thin negative.
The solio toning-bath can be used for aristo, but is not suitable
for albumen paper. A thin negative may be the result of
over-exposure, under-exposure, or under-development. Over-exposure
makes the negative a uniform color and lacking in contrast.
Under-exposure gives strong high lights and no detail in the
shadows. Under-development gives good detail, but the negative is
too weak to make a good print. Such a negative can be redeveloped
or intensified. See answer given to R. B. T.
L. K. asks where to get the magazine _American Amateur
Photographer_. The address of the publishers is 239-241 Fifth
Avenue, New York city. The price of the magazine is $1 per year.
HENRY READ wishes a remedy for keeping the film from looking as if
it were crackled; also how to make dry-plates. The tray should be
rocked during the development of the film. The crackled appearance
will then be avoided. Do not try to make dry-plates. The operation
is too long, and the plates can be bought much cheaper than they
can be made at home, besides being always reliable.
[Illustration: IVORY SOAP]
The stores which keep the best that's made
Secure the highest class of trade;
The shoppers who are shrewd and wise
Select such stores to patronize;
And stores and shoppers all attest
Pure Ivory Soap is far the best.
Copyright 1896, by The Procter & Gamble Co., Cin'ti.
[Illustration: ROYAL WORCESTER CYCLES]
Royal in their beauty, strength and speed. They are leaders in every
sense of the word. $100 to everyone. Tandems, $150.
* * * * *
Middletown Cycles, $60, $50, $40.
CATALOGUES FREE.
WORCESTER CYCLE MFG. CO.
17 Murray Street, New York.
Factories: Middletown, Conn.; Worcester, Mass.
[Illustration: CRAWFORD BICYCLES]
Few bicycles selling for $100 have better quality or more elegant finish
and equipment. Guaranteed for one year.
SEND FOR CATALOGUE.
The CRAWFORD MFG. CO., Hagerstown, Md.
NEW YORK, BALTIMORE, ST. LOUIS.
EARN A GOLD WATCH!
[Illustration]
We wish to introduce our =Teas and Baking Powder=. Sell 50 lbs. to earn a
=Waltham Gold Watch and Chain=; 25 lbs. for a =Silver Watch and Chain=; 10
lbs. for a =Gold Ring=; 50 lbs. for a =Decorated Dinner Set=; 75 lbs.
for a =Bicycle=. Write for a Catalog and Order Blank to Dept. I
W. G. BAKER,
Springfield Mass.
[Illustration: CRESCENT BICYCLES]
Right Prices
You can pay more money for a bicycle, but you cannot secure a machine of
higher grade than the Crescent, or one that will please you better. $75,
$50, $40.
Crescents are the most popular bicycles made--70,000 Crescents sold in
1896.
Crescents for everybody--men and women, youths and misses, boys and
girls. Light, strong tandems.
[Illustration]
WESTERN WHEEL WORKS
CHICAGO NEW YORK
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belong."
HARPER'S
PERIODICALS
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CARDS
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HAVERFIELD PUB CO., CADIZ, OHIO
Florida Pines and Pickaninnies.
Pines are the principal trees of this part of Florida, though
gnarled and mossy oaks are common. A glimpse of a sunset or the
glow of a forest fire behind a group of these trees outlined
against the sky forms many a beautiful picture. The pines are very
picturesque too, they stand so tall, and the gray Florida moss
hangs from their branches like draped garments.
A picturesque feature of the Florida woods is the numerous negro
cabins made of logs. All have the same kind of mud and stick
chimneys, built hardly up to the peak of the hut, so that when the
thick black smoke, perhaps full of sparks, comes out of the mouth
of the chimney, it curls against the under part of the projecting
shingles, and then passes away. It is certainly very curious that
the huts do not burn down, but it is a fact that they rarely do.
The cabins are very dirty, and passing one, you may see from two to
perhaps five negro "pickaninnies" laying in the sand with a pig or
two sometimes. The pigs here are commonly termed "razor-backs,"
because they are so small and thin that their backbones seem almost
to prick through their skin. This county is named Alachua (the ch
is pronounced as k), meaning in the Seminole Indian tongue "big
jug," because there is a sink in an open space that is called
Paine's Prairie when it is dry, and Kanapaha Lake when it is
changed--after a heavy rain--into a sheet of water. The sink is so
deep that no one has ever discovered the bottom.
The names of some of the places in Florida, and the flint
arrow-heads which are frequently found, are all the traces that are
left here of the Seminole Indians who once owned the land. Down by
the coast, about fifty miles west from here, are found mounds of
sand and oyster-shells, which, when dug into, reveal skeletons of
Indians, and Spaniards who were killed. There is a place south of
here which is historic. A great many soldiers were killed there by
the Indians when asleep and off their guard. The Seminoles have
been driven down into the "Everglades" of South Florida, a great
swamp into the heart of which no white man has ever penetrated.
Here the Indians stay, never daring to venture out to massacre in
their old way, for there is no use in trying to do that now.
Palmettoes grow in great abundance here. Sinks are very numerous,
and so are natural wells.
There is a place called Waldo in Florida, where there is a swamp in
which cedar-trees grow, and a lake in which alligators live in
great numbers, and on the banks of which beautiful wild-flowers
grow. The alligators lay their eggs in straw on the land, go back
to the water, and visit the eggs from time to time until they
hatch. Then the parents lead their young to the water, where they
live. These alligators are caught for their handsome skins, of
which many things are made.
ELSIE VERMILYE SMITH (aged 12).
ARREDONDA, FLORIDA.
Accompanying this most interesting letter is a wash-drawing of a negro
cabin, with the too-short chimney, and the pig and pickaninnies in the
foreground. It is a clever drawing. The TABLE is glad to print
descriptive letters like this one, because everybody likes to read these
interesting insights into peculiar features of other parts of the
country. Will other readers send the TABLE equally good morsels?
* * * * *
It Went to Paradise Valley.
There are always hurry and confusion at the end of every session of
Congress, and these are multiplied severalfold, if that be possible,
when the Congress dies, by Constitutional limit, with the expiration of
a President's term. In these busy hours droll things sometimes happen
and witty things are said. In the Congress just expired--the extra
session just called by President McKinley is of the new and not of the
Congress that sat during the winter--an incident occurred that
illustrates how great things often come about from small causes--a
slight turn in the tide of their fortune at the right time.
A railroad company wanted a right of way through a forest reserve in the
West. Senator Vest, of Missouri, opposed the grant for the reason that
in the dry summer seasons forest fires would be kindled by the
locomotives. The time was limited, and many important measures were to
come up. A Senator sitting near the famous Missourian whispered
something.
"Time presses," remarked Senator Vest, "and I am just informed that this
road leads to 'Paradise Valley.' If the road helps anybody to get to
Paradise, why, let it go through."
And it went.
* * * * *
How the Prisoner Escaped.
H. D. Dantzler, St. Matthews, S. C., and several other readers, ask
about the solution of the "prisoner puzzle." A prisoner was offered his
liberty if, by starting at the warden's office, he could enter each of
the thirty-six cells once, and only once, double on his route, and
arrive at the office again.
Here is his route.
[Illustration]
* * * * *
Programme for April-fool Day.
The TABLE is asked: "Can some one through your columns suggest some
entertainment for a young people's party to be given on April-fool
day? Something appropriate for the day is wanted.
"I. S."
If any reader will favor us, we will mail direct to this inquirer, since
the time is growing short, and print for the benefit of other readers in
future years.
* * * * *
The Sign in the "Sail" Puzzle.
"I hope you will not think me very stupid, but even with the answer I
cannot read the sign of the boat-house in the puzzle. Will you kindly
explain through your columns now to read it?"
The preceding, either in these words or others of the same meaning, came
to us from several readers. The first word is read by taking not the
letters on the sign, but the succeeding one in the alphabet, as "b" for
"a," "e" for "d," and so on. The second word is read by taking the
preceding letter in each case, as "l" for "m," etc. The remaining words
are read by taking the letters in reverse alphabetical order. For
example, the fourth word on the sign begins with "x," which is the third
letter, reading backwards, or from the end of the alphabet. For it read
"c," and so on.
* * * * *
In that Fifteen Problem.
The way to place the figures one to nine on a "tic, tac, toe" diagram so
that in eight ways the sum of the three figures will be fifteen is:
Reading from left to right, the top line, 4, 3, 8; the second line, 9,
5, 1; and the lower line, 2, 7, 6.
* * * * *
Thirty Cents and Five Cents per Dozen.
Frank Smith figures out that A, B, and C sold eggs at the following
prices. Did you get answers agreeing with his?
A sold 9 doz. at 30 cts., and 1 doz. at 5 cts. = $2.75
B sold 5 doz. at 30 cts., and 25 doz. at 5 cts. = 2.75
C sold 1 doz. at 30 cts., and 49 doz. at 5 cts. = 2.75
* * * * *
Questions and Answers.
"B. H. S." asks: "To whom is application made in order to get a position
in any of the large railroad offices? I have heard that in order to get
a position in any of the New York Central offices certain examinations
had to be taken." The railroad you name examines applicants for
positions in the auditors' and all departments where good penmanship and
accuracy in figures are required, but it does not examine applicants for
positions in other departments. But it has no regular examining-board.
Nor do railways of the country have, as far as we know, such boards for
applicants to apply to. If one desires to get into the telegraph service
of a railway, he applies to the superintendent, or in some cases to the
chief operator or train-despatcher. Any local telegraph operator can
give the name of the proper official on his road. For positions in
auditors' and other accounting offices applications are made to those
officials. For places on trains apply to the superintendent, and on
locomotives to the master-mechanic. As a rule the best course is to get
acquainted with some employé, and through him make the application.
J. B. Coles asks how to get into West Point. Old readers must bear with
us when we answer again this much-answered query to say: Apply to your
member of Congress. The appointment is made by him, and by him only,
save in the case of a very few appointments made by the President of the
United States, which appointments are usually reserved for sons of army
officers, who have, as a rule, no legal residence and, therefore, no
member of Congress to apply to. The same course is to be followed to get
an appointment to Annapolis. If you prefer, you can write, merely for
information about vacancy and conditions, to the Secretary of War or
Secretary of the Navy. Address your communication as here named, and
add, Washington, D. C. Make the request plain and brief, and you will
receive a reply in good time. Don't hesitate to write to these
officials. They are public servants, and are always ready to answer such
proper inquiries. Only one cadet from each district can be at West Point
and at Annapolis, respectively, at a time.
Ralph Leach: Address G. A. Hentey, in care of _Boys' Own Paper_,
Paternoster Row, London, and Kirk Munroe, in care of this
publication.--Minnie Louise Naething asks what a "parchment eater" is.
We give it up--because our reference-books, like hers, are silent on the
subject. Can some one enlighten us?--"Cape Vincent" asks us some
questions, and desires answers by mail. We are always glad to oblige our
readers, but our purpose in answering questions is to give information
to all. Why not have answers published?
Robert H. Nead asks for information about the "Mad Yankee," which
occurred in one of the recent puzzle questions. We discarded "Mad"
Anthony Wayne because he was not a Yankee. Robert retorts that Elisha
Kent Kane was born in Philadelphia. The question was, in effect, what
public man went by the nickname "Mad Yankee"? The answer was Kane.
Whether the nickname was or was not correctly applied we cannot say. Nor
is it material. Wayne could not be accepted, for he was not the bearer
of that nickname, and our conditions included nicknames in the list of
questions.
Louise A. Littlepage, who lives in Colon, Guatemala, sends us a poem of
six verses on "The Noble Boy." The TABLE rarely prints poems--for
obvious reasons. Louise says, "If the TABLE wishes, I will send some
more verses." Will she not tell us in plain prose not about noble boys,
because such are not rare with us, but about Guatemala--the school she
attends, the interesting sights of the city she lives in, what time
blackberries are ripe, if she have such fruit, the flowers that bloom in
Colon in March, what the people of Colon think of the new republic of
which Guatemala is now a part? Does Colon have cable cars? Has she ever
been out in the country on a visit to a country house? If so, what was
it like, how furnished, and what did the housewife have for dinner?
Noble boys are noble boys the world over. But Guatemala is different
from Georgia, Maine, or Dakota. Please describe for us some of these
interesting differences.--A member: Wood-engravers' tools are for sale
only by a few first-class dealers in hardware. They are purchased in the
rough, and have to be finished and put in condition by the engraver. A
set of tools, including leather-pad and magnifying-glass, suitable for a
beginner would cost about ten dollars.
THE LUXURY OF SOAP.
Dr. Nansen is not a man whose happiness depends much on the possession
of luxuries, but there was at least one luxury which he confesses that
he missed during his long tramp with Lieutenant Johansen after they left
the _Fram_. The winter they spent in a hut passed comfortably, he says,
and if they had had a little flour, a little sugar, and a few books they
could have lived like lords. They did not complain at the absence of
these things, however, but one thing they did long for was soap. "It was
difficult enough," Dr. Nansen writes, "to get one's person clean, but
that we managed to a certain extent by rubbing in bear's blood and fat,
and then rubbing this off with moss." But this process was inapplicable
to clothes, and they were very desirous of washing their under-clothes
before beginning their spring journey. "After trying every other
possible way, we found, to our despair, no better expedient than to boil
them as best we could and then scrape them with a knife. In this way we
got so much off of them that they did to travel with, though the thought
of putting on clean clothes when we once got back to Norway was always
in our minds as the greatest enjoyment that life could bestow."
An analogy is traceable between this pleasure of anticipation and the
glee of Dan Troop, as described in Kipling's _Captains Courageous_, at
the prospect of getting back to Gloucester after five months on the
Banks and sleeping in a clean boiled night-shirt.
There is a picture in _Farthest North_ of Nansen at the end of his long
ice journey, and still in the soapless state, meeting Captain Brown of
the _Windward_, who brought him home.
* * * * *
A RESTLESS BOY'S REASON.
"I'm going to be a minister," said Tommie, forcibly.
"Why, Tommie dear?" asked his father.
"So's I can talk in church," said Tommie.
Postage Stamps, &c.
[Illustration]
60 dif. U.S. $1, 100 dif. Foreign 8c., 125 dif. Canadian, Natal, etc.
25c., 150 dif. Cape Verde, O. F. States, etc. 50c. Agents wanted. 50
p.c. com. List free. =F. W. Miller, 904 Olive St., St. Louis, Mo.=
[Illustration]
=STAMPS!= 300 genuine mixed Victoria, Cape, India, Japan, Etc., with Stamp
Album, only 10c. New 96-page price-list FREE. Approval Sheets, 50% com.
Agents Wanted. We buy old U.S. & Conf. Stamps & Collections. =STANDARD
STAMP CO., St. Louis, Mo., Established 1885.=
[Illustration]
=ALBUM AND LIST FREE!= Also 100 all diff. Venezuela, Bolivia, etc., only
10c. Agts. wanted at 50% Com. =C. A. Stegmann=, 5941 Cote Brilliant Ave.,
St. Louis, Mo.
STAMPS
Best in the market at 50% disc.; rare foreign at 33-1/3%; U.S. at 25%.
Reference required. Give us a trial.
BOSTON STAMP CO., Box 2789, Boston, Mass.
500
Mixed, Australian, etc., 10c.; =105 var.= Zululand, etc., and album, 10c.;
12 Africa, 10c.; 15 Asia, 10c. Bargain list free. F. P. VINCENT,
Chatham, N.Y.
=FREE!= Sample P'k (250) Stamp Hinges with New Stamp List. DOVER & CO.,
St. Louis, Mo.
=CONFEDERATE STAMPS=, reprints, 100, all dif., 12c. S. ALLAN TAYLOR, 24
Congress St., Boston.
=155 VARIETIES!= some unused, =12c.= 25 No. Amer., 10c. Sheets =50%= com.
HARRY S. LEE, MATTAPAN, MASS.
Nansen's Great Book--"Farthest North"
[Illustration: SCOTT-HANSEN'S OBSERVATORY]
Being the Record of a Voyage of Exploration of the Ship _Fram_
(1893-1896), and of a Fifteen Months' Sleigh Expedition by Dr. NANSEN
and Lieut. JOHANSEN. By Dr. FRIDTJOF NANSEN. With an Appendix by OTTO
SVERDRUP, Captain of the _Fram_. With over 100 Full-page and Numerous
Text Illustrations, Sixteen Colored Plates in Facsimile from Dr.
NANSEN's own Water-Color, Pastel, and Pencil Sketches, an Etched
Portrait, Two Photogravures, and Four Maps. About 1300 pages, 2 Volumes,
Large 8vo, Gilt Tops and Uncut Edges, $10.00.
PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK