Want Corner.
Samuel Byers, Sandiford, Philadelphia, sends the Table an account of a trip which he and about twenty young friends made to New York last winter. His account is admirably written. His grammar, construction, and penmanship are away above the average for his age. He tells about visits made by his jolly party to the Art Museum, to an ocean ship, and many other places. We do not print his letter in full, because he describes sights that are already quite familiar, by description at least. We know his party had a good time, for it called at Franklin Square, and a look at the jolly faces demonstrated it. Sir Samuel belongs to a Chapter which wants correspondents everywhere, specially about moths, minerals, and flowers. Write him for names of individual members. You can get some good correspondents among them of both sexes.
Harrie O. Bender, 5903 Tulip Street, Wissinoming, Philadelphia, Station F., is, we think, a member of the same Chapter as the preceding—the Sylvia. At any rate, the Sylvia has the same wants. It seeks to make a collection of pressed flowers from all over the world. Won't you help it? Of course it sends flowers in return. Hubbard Marsh asks how to cure the skins of small animals. Won't some member ask a taxidermist and send the information in the form of a Table morsel? We will print it with due acknowledgment and thanks. The Table is in receipt of a long letter from its old friend, Janet Cowley, whose present address is care W. E. Moxon, Bungalow, Sherwood Road, Toowong, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Writing in January, she says the weather is oppressively hot—such is the difference in seasons. She also says that the Table's other Karnerunga friend, Constance Smith, is married and living in Sydney. Lady Janet promises to answer all her American correspondents as early as their number and her time permits.
Any questions in regard to photograph matters will be willingly answered by the editor of this column, and we should be glad to hear from any of our club who can make helpful suggestions.
It is a fortunate thing for the would-be amateur photographer that a dark-room, used exclusively for photographic work, is not one of the "must-haves" of photography. If it were, there would doubtless be very few amateurs, especially among the young people.
To make the work of arranging a temporary dark-room simple and easy, the materials should be kept all together and in as compact a form as possible. For storing the chemicals and trays a wooden box eighteen inches long, twelve inches wide, and eight or ten inches high will be found a convenient size for holding all the material necessary to use for developing.
A rack to hold the bottles should be made of a piece of half-inch board half the size of the bottom of the box. In this board cut holes the size of the bottles containing the solutions for developing. Fasten this board securely to the inside of the box, about four inches from the bottom. The bottles will fit in the holes, and there will be no danger of breaking or spilling their contents when carrying it from one place to another. Square bottles should be used for the hypo, and round bottles for the developers. Five bottles will be enough for the chemicals—one for the hypo, one for old and one for new developer, one for the restrainer, and one for the accelerator. Have the labels on the bottles large and distinct, and make the box on the outside "POISONS."
The trays can be placed one inside the other and put into the box by the side of the bottles. The glass funnel should be turned over the top of one of the bottles, and unless the lantern is an extra size, there will be plenty of room to set it in the box. Nail a strip of leather across the box for a handle. A piece of board an inch or two larger all round than the top of the box will serve for a cover when the box is not in use.
With one's materials in this convenient and portable form it is a simple matter to get ready for developing, and when one has finished it is but a moment's work to replace the materials and put them away. This plan of storing materials not only saves a great deal of time and trouble, but often prevents mistakes in developing.
In preparing for developing get everything ready before the plates are taken into the dark-room. Always be particular to place the hypo trays in the same place each time you develop plates, and you will never make the mistake of putting a negative into the hypo instead of the developer.
Keep all the trays and bottles wiped clean. The trays should be thoroughly rinsed each time after using, so that no trace of hypo from the fixing tray may come in contact with the developing tray.
The amateur more than perhaps any other person should cultivate habits of neatness, carefulness, and exactness.
At all grocery stores east of the Rocky Mountains two sizes of Ivory Soap are sold; one that costs five cents a cake, and a larger size. The larger cake is the more convenient and economical for laundry and general household use. If your Grocer is out of it, insist on his getting it for you.
The Procter & Gamble Co. Cin'ti.
Tastes good as it goes down, does good when it gets down.
makes the children rosy-cheeked, keeps the parents healthful, helps the old folks carry their years lightly. A 25c. package makes the whole family happy.
CHAS. E. HIRES CO.,
PHILADELPHIA.
Kombi
Camera
$3.50
SMALLEST CAMERA MADE
Carry it in your pocket. Size 1-5/8 x 2 in. Weight 4 oz. takes 25 pictures with one loading. Made of seamless metal, oxidized silver finish. Size of picture 1 in. sq. The simplest camera made. Any boy or girl can use it. Every instrument fully guaranteed. Not a toy, but a practical camera. The Kombi complete. $3.50. Roll of film (25 exposures) 20 cts. extra. We develop your negatives if desired. Illustrated Booklet Free.