**

"*
ITCSB LIBRARY
 THE

TANNIN PEOCESS.

BT

!. EUSSELL,

SECOND EDITION,

LONDON:
FOHN W. DAVIES, 54, PKINCES STREET,
LEICESTEB SQUARE.
LIVERPOOL: H. GREENWOOD, 32, CASTLE STREET.
 PEEFACE
TO THE SECOND EDITION.

SINCE the publication of the first edition the

process described in it has been greatly im-

proved. The substratum of gelatine may now

be dispensed with, far greater sensitiveness

can be obtained, and, which is more important,

landscape views can at the same time be pro-

duced of better quality.

The process as managed at first had one

serious fault, which rendered it less suitable for

ordinary landscapes than for some other kinds

of subjects ;
the use of tannin is, however,
attended by many and great advantages, and
the author has used his best endeavours to find

the means of correcting the fault alluded to,

and to improve the process in other respects.

He hopes that it will now be found to be more

generally useful.
 IV.

For the original ideas which have led to

some of the greatest improvements the writer
is indebted to the experience of others.
The contents of the first edition have been

carefully revised and in great part re-written,

and much new matter has been added. Per-

haps the most important addition is a way of

working in which considerable advantages are

gained by the use of bromide alone, without
iodine or any of its combinations. Many varia-
tions in treatment are given to be chosen from,

and nearly every means supposed to increase

the sensitiveness of dry plates, and many mo-

difications of the tannin process, have been
tested and the results described in this edition.
 INTRODUCTION
TO THE FIRST EDITION.

THE writer has, during the last five years,

expended much time and trouble in endea-

vouring to discover a really good dry collo-

dion process.Having tried every published

method which seemed at all promising, he

finds that, although nearly all will produce
good results if properly managed, yet none
are entirely satisfactory.

The principal faults of the moist preserva-

tive processes are great insensitiveness, un-
less an amount of nitrate of silver incompatible

with long keeping in hot weather be retained

in the film; a difficulty in producing uniform

sensitiveness, from the varying quantity of

this free nitrate of silver; and a liability to

suffer from dust adhering to the surface of

 VI.

the collodion and causing spots. The dry

processes hitherto published, besides many
other faults belonging to them individually,
have one in common that of being too much
dependent for success upon the mechanical

state of the collodion.

The process to be described in the fol-

lowing pages is free from the last-mentioned

objection, and from many others which attach

to other dry processes generally. Although
all the experiments necessary to ascertain pre-

cisely the best mode of working have not as

yet been completed, especially as regards the

means of obtaining the greatest degree of
sensitiveness, yet it is hoped that the descrip-
tion now given will be found sufficient for

practical purposes, and that the conclusions

which the author draws from his own experi-
ments will not mislead.
 CHAPTEE I.

ON CLEANING THE PLATES.

A DEAINING-STAND, which will be found very useful

throughout this and other dry processes, may be made
in the
following manner : Take a thin board, a little

more than three feet long and nine inches broad, and
nailanother board, sixteen inches in width, vertically

along the middle of the first. Bore vertical holes,

about one and a half inches apart, along near the

edges of the first or horizontal board fit a number of

:

wooden pegs about two inches long into these holes,

to be used in pairs, in adjacent holes, at such distances
as maybe required by the size of the
glasses used.
Nail a leathern strap to serve as a handle on the
middle of the upper edge of the vertical board.
 8

This stand may be of any convenient size : that

just described will take ten stereoscopic plates on

each side, set up diagonally on the corners, and is

high enough to drain 12 x 10 glasses in the same

position.
If the plates have been used before, remove the old
filmsby soaking for a short time in a warm solution
of carbonate of soda (common washing soda). The
plates should be removed from this liquid as soon as

the film will come off easily, or the glass may be

corroded. The edges may be detached with a knife or
with the finger nail, and the remainder of the film
rubbed off with the fingers or a hard brush. Then

put the plates into a vessel of water, and, having

carried them to a pump or tap, wash in a stream of

water, taking care to remove every piece of old film

which may remain, and place the glasses on one end,
nearly close to the vertical part of the draining-stand,
their tops resting against it, the glasses being about
half an inch apart. When one row is complete, place
the glasses in the next row so that the middle of each
covers the interval between two in the first row, that a
ventmay be left for the escape of damp air upwards.
Many dozens of plates may thus be drained at once on

the two sides of the stand. Carry the stand into a

warm room, and place it before the fire, tilting up one

end about six inches to let the water drain away from

the lower ends of the glasses. Unless wanted for

immediate use, it will not be found worth while to
 9

wipe them,* if the soda has been well washed off, other-

wise this treatment may cause injury by corrosion.

The edges of new glasses should be ground, and,

if

itbe intended to dispense with the use of gelatine, or

other preliminary coating, the grinding should extend
a little way on to the surface. The neatest way to

grind the glass in this manner is with a piece

of stout

sheet copper, along the middle of which has been sol-

dered a narrow strip of the same metal about one-
sixteenth of an inch thick on the other side a piece
;

ofwood may be screwed, to give a better hold. Mix

some silver sand, brown sugar, and water, and, with a
little of this mixture in the angle, rub the thick cop-

per against the edge of the glass, at the same time

grinding the upper surface with the lower edge of the
thin strip. The plate is held down with the left hand
on a piece of wood or other convenient place, with the

edge that being ground slightly projecting: if it

is

project far, may be broken. The edge and a

the glass
narrow strip of the surface can in this way be ground
without rounding off the angle. The use of the sugar
is to render the dirt more easy to wash off. If the

plates are to be coated with gelatine it is better to

grind only the edges, for the ground glass impedes the
* The writer has never found that the deposit left on the
plates by hard water caused any inconvenience, as in his expe-
rience such deposit is always immediately and entirely removed
by the method of cleaning to he presently described. Should
any kind of water be found to leave a residium which is not
easily cleaned off, the plates must be wiped.
 10

flow of the gelatine, and is not in this case required to

make the film adhere. The edges should be slightly
rounded in grinding, to facilitate picking up the glasses
out of a dish.
After being ground the plates must be well washed
to remove grit, and drained dry as described above,
before being placed in contact with each other. When
dry they may be piled one upon another in the place
where they are to be cleaned. Any mode of cleaning
will answer which ensures the removal of all traces of

grease as well as other impurities. The method now

to be given is as certain and as little troublesome as

any. Two rubbers are required, which are to be con-

structed as follows: For the first, take a piece of
thick felt, well cleaned with warm water and soda,
and then with water only, and, when dry, cement it

flat on a bung about three inches in diameter a

solution of shellac in naptha, or of india-rubber in

turpentine, will answer as the cement and the bung

should then be laid, felt downwards, on a flat surface,

and with a weight upon it for some hours, after

left

which the edges may be trimmed. Mix a little tripoli

with water in a phial; shake up, and allow it to stand
a few minutes, that the coarse grains may subside;
then well wet the felt with the turbid water, and dry.
This rubber will last and will never require
for years,

anything more to be done to it if kept clean. The

other rubber is made by nailing a piece of cotton velvet

(cleaned in the same way as the felt)

to the edges of a
 11

piece of board about four inches wide, and a little

longer than the width of the largest glasses to be used.

The lower edges of the board should be rounded off,
and three thicknesses of coarse flannel laid on it before

nailing on the velvet. A strap of webbing or leather

nailed to the edges across the back will make a handle.
This rubber, like the other, will last for a long time,
as it may be used until the pile is worn off: it will

require no cleaning, but may be brushed occasionally

with a hard brush kept for this purpose only. Keep it
in a dry place, with the velvet downwards, on a clean

piece of blotting paper.

Liquids sold for cleaning glasses often contain rouge

and nitric acid, both of which are objectionable the

rouge adheres to the glass so firmly as to be difficult

to clean off, and a trace of nitric acid sometimes

remaining in a scratch causes a mark of insensitiveness

in the negative. Old collodion the older the better

mixed with tripoli, answers well. The collodion should

be diluted with an equal quantity of common alcohol,

or, what is better, methylated spirit and if it is not
;

already of a red colour, iodine should be added to

bring it to a port-wine tint.* A tripoli mixture ought

always to be shaken up when first prepared, and then
allowed to subside, that the coarser grains may sink to
the bottom: before using, shake till slightly turbid.
Choose a place where a slight current of air will carry

* If the the liquid, more iodine

methylated spirit decolourize
should be added.
 12

off the
vapour from the eyes, or it may make them
smart.
-
Put the glass to be cleaned in a screw holder, rub
the back over slightly with a tuft of cotton wool and a
few drops of the cleaning fluid, then wipe dry with
a cloth, turn over and fix again with the screw ;

breathe on the front, and rub with the cotton wool ;

drop on a little of the mixture and rub over again.

When by repeated use the tuft of cotton wool becomes
so hard as not to be immediately softened by the liquid,
itshould be rejected, or the glass may be scratched.

Wipe the edges of the glass with the cloth, to remove

any of the cleaning mixture which may have gone over
the angles, and would injure the exciting bath then ;

place the plate against a bottle, in a nearly vertical

position, on a piece of clean paper, and proceed in the
same manner with the other glasses, except that after
the first, the collodion need only be dropped on the
fronts: a drop or two on each will be quite enough
when the cotton is once wet, if the glasses are small.

By cleaning the backs slightly, we not only avoid

introducing impurities into the bath, but prevent waste

of the nitrate solution, which, if the glass be at all

greasy, will adhere in drops instead of draining off.

Next take the plates one by one, place again in the

screw holder, face upwards, breathe very slightly on the

surface, and polish off the collodion mixture with the

felt rubber till quite dry a second rubber of the same
;

kind to finish with will dry the glass more quickly.

 13

This operation will take but a few seconds, and will

leave the plate quite clear of
everything except slight
traces of tripoli dust on the surface, and of the clean-

ing fluid in the pores of the glass.- The dust should

be brushed off with cotton wool, and its entire removal
ensured by polishing with the velvet rubber. If the

plates are to be coated with gelatine, leather must not

be used, as, however carefully cleaned, it
always leaves
on the glass a trace of greasiness which will the
repel
solution. Place each plate, as soon as finished, verti-

cally on the draining-stand, and when all have been

cleaned, brush the velvet rubber to remove dust.
See remarks in the latter part of
Chapter V. on the effect
of iodide and iodine on silver stains.
 CHAPTEE II.

COATING WITH GELATINE OR

INDIA-RUBBER.

GELATINE, simply dissolved in water, is always slightly

milky, and the impurity, whatever it may be, is not
removable by filtration, but soon clogs the paper.
If a glass be covered with the milky solution, the white

substance, when dry, appears like a fine dust adhering

to the surface of the gelatine, and unless polished off

by hard rubbing, sometimes shows slightly in the

transparent parts of the negatives. This inconve-
nience is entirely avoided in the following mode of

preparation :Soak twenty grains in eight ounces of

distilled water and four drops of glacial acetic acid.

When thoroughly swelled and transparent, dissolve by
warming. Should the water be heated before the gela-
tine has had time to swell, the latter will adhere to the
bottom of the vessel containing it, in a stiff glutinous
state, and will dissolve with great difficulty. Dissolve
three grains of iodide of cadmium, three grains of bro-
mide cadmium, and a small piece of iodine in a few
of

drops of water, and mix with the solution then filter;

two or three times through white filtering paper in a

 15

warm place.* The acetic acid coagulates the white im-

purity, which then collects into filaments, and is re-

moved by filtering, leaving the liquid very bright. This

solution will keep well without alcohol, and it is better

not to add it, as it tends to produce ridges in the film

of gelatine, especially when present in large proportion.
A solution of gelatine of this strength scarcely re-

warming to work well, if the temperature of the

quires
room is not much below sixty degrees, and it will

to answer well with the method

nearly always be found
of development now recommended ;
but when the col-

lodion is very thick it may fail, by allowing the film to

loosen during development, which is fatal when gelatine
is used, although not necessarily so in the case of
In such a case the solution
simple uncoated glasses.
may be made of double the strength given above by
same quantity of the other ingredients
dissolving the
in half the quantity of water. This will give about

the greatest amount of adhesion, and will involve but

little extra trouble. The strength of the gelatine solu-
tion ought certainly to be proportioned to the thickness
of the collodion film; but, nevertheless, considerable
latitude is admissible so much so, that any solution

containing between two and five grains to the ounce

will answer in the majority of cases. The effect of
insufficient adhesion of using
using too little gelatine is ;

* The thick grey filtering paper contains some injurious

should not be used. It will produce a
impurity, and therefore
stain on the lowest corner of an excited plate set to drain on it.
 16

too much, blueness of the film, general insensitiveness,

and want of vigour in the negative, from the penetration

of the gelatine to the surface of the collodion. Should
this penetration be uneven, markings of insensitiveness
will be the result.* A solution of isinglass may be
substituted for that of gelatine, if of about half the

strength; but does not appear to make the film

it

adhere quite so strongly to the glass. Isinglass may,

however, possibly answer better than gelatine in very
hot weather, as the former remains undissolved at a

higher temperature than the latter.

Should there be a fire in the room, place the draining
stand before it on a chair rather than on the floor, for
obvious reasons. The glasses should all be on the side
of the stand next the fire, and the distance from it such
that they will become a little warmer than the hand.
Whatever method of applying the gelatine be adopted
the plates must be warmed after cleaning, unless they
have stood some time separately to dry, or traces of

the cleaning liquid, remaining in the pores of the

glass, will repel the solution, causing circular spots

of bare glass to appear on draining. Warm the
gelatine by putting the bottle, which should be thin,
inside the fender, or more quickly by dipping it in
hot water, taking care not to immerse beyond the
surface of the solution, or the bottle may be broken.
Take a small cylindrical glass vessel called a beaker
* The writer has not seen these faults
except when using a
ten-grain solution of gelatine, or a five-grain solution of isinglass,
for experiment.
 17

(the best are those which have the rim most turned

out) and a glass funnel. The nose of the funnel may,

if necessary, be shortened by notching with a file,

and breaking such a length as to be just clear

to

of the bottom when the cone fits the upper part of

the beaker. The broken end should be ground smooth

on a grindstone, or other rough stone, to prevent risk
of scratching the plates.
Cut a piece of new fine-grained sponge into a trun-
cated conical shape, the outside forming the thicker end,
to be placed upwards. Soak in water, and knead well
under a tap remove loose particles push rather tightly
to ;

into the neck of the funnel then pour in enough gelatine

;

solution to stand in the beaker higher than the top of

the sponge in the funnel : it will pass through quickly.
Or thin porous white filtering paper may be used. It
should be folded the second time so as to form an ob-
tuse angle, and be placed in the funnel in such a
manner that the point of the paper rests against the

glass instead of being in the middle of the aperture ;

in this way the liquid passes through more freely, and

cannot fall in drops and cause bubbles.

Round piece of paper [ Paper folded second Position of paper i

folded first time. time. in I'unneJ.

If the folded part of the paper is pressed against

B
 18

the inside of the top of the funnel with the finger

whilst some of the liquid is poured in, the filter will
remain in its
proper position. *
Filter the gelatine two or three times to remove the
loose fibres which are washed off the outside of the

paper. The iodine will he removed from the solution

by repeated filtration; a very small piece may he

dropped on the sponge or paper when the liquid has
become quite colourless.
Take up a glass with a pneumatic holder, sweep
with the velvet rubber, and place on a levelling-
stand with the holder still attached. If the plate

be large the holder should be in the middle, if of

on a levelling stand with the

Bird's-eye view of a stereoscopic plate
pneumatic holder attached to it.

* This plan can only be adopted on a small scale, as any

out of its
considerable weight of liquid would force the paper
Afilter -which will hold one to two ounces will work
place.
well in this way.
 10

stereoscopic size close to the edge of the plate,

when there will be room for it if the levelling-stand

be of suitable size (about G inches between the

screws at the corners), the glass resting on two
of the screws in the middle of the sides of the

triangle, and on the screw at the angle nearest the

operator. Take the funnel in the left hand, and

hold nearly or quite in contact with the surface of the

plate near corner 1 ; then with the right hand pour

the solution from the beaker on the same corner,
nearly touching the surface of the plate with the rim,
to avoid making bubbles, until about a quarter of the

glass covered; then replace the funnel in the beaker,

is

hold in the left hand under corner 4, and, taking the

holder in the right hand, lift the end of the plate on
which the solution has been poured in such a manner
that it will flow7 to the left, inclining from side to side

to keep the advancing edge of the liquid convex until

the plate is covered then pour off into the funnel from
;

i -i >ruer 4. \Yith a little practice this operation is nearly

as easy as pouring the collodion, the solution flowing

very readily on glasses cleaned as described above.

Should any difficulty be found at first, the gelatine
may be spread with a glass rod bent at one end, which

may be placed ready for use in a clean glass measure,

or the flow of the solution may be assisted with the

nose of the funnel. It is better to dispense with the

use of the glass rod, as dust may fall on it and so be

introduced into the solution and left on the plate.
 20

This would render a second pouring on and off neces-

sary. Next set the plate up to drain on corner 3,

between two of the pegs of the draining-stand on the
farther side from the fire, taking care that the glass
rests against both pegs, to ensure its standing firmly.

Blotting paper should previously have been placed

between the pegs to absorb the liquid a piece about ;

two inches square, folded in equal parts three times, so

as to give eight thicknesses, will be enough for a stereo-

scopic plate. If the glasses are drained on the side

next the fire, a hard line will be formed near each of
the two lower sides, like that produced in drying by
the thick edges of negative varnish this line would
:

show in the picture; but it is not formed, or is very

slight, when solution of gelatine containing no alcohol

dries spontaneously; the iodized gelatine forms a just

perceptible mark about a quarter of an inch from the

lower edges. If the plate is placed in the camera

with one of these marks downwards, a band of

slightly-increased intensity, but without a hard edge,

may appear along the top of the sky in the finished

negative. If the mark is on the foreground, it will

not show at all. Proceed in the same manner with

the other glasses : if these are very slightly warm
the gelatine will be kept sufficiently fluid. When
they are too warm, the solution becomes limpid, does
not flow regularly, and dries too quickly at the edges,

leaving also a thinner film upon the glass. The

best consistency is about that of iodized collodion.
One side of the draining-star.d will be filled with
 21

long before tlie first lias had time to

gelatinized, plates
therefore if more are to be coated they must be
dry ;

In taking up the glasses

placed to drain elsewhere.
to cover with gelatine clear one end of the stand first,

plates appear to be dry,

and when the gelatinized ex-

cepting at the lowest corner, place

them on the side
next the fire, .at the end cleared by their previous
removal. When all the uncoated glasses have been

removed from the stand the coated ones should be

spread along, in the manner described after washing
the glasses, to complete the drying by heat.
This plan will answer well if a place near a
fire can be found sufficiently free from dust. The
faces inwards are not
plates being drained with their
be
very easily affected in this way, but care should
taken that no dust, especially from ashes, comes in
contact with the surface when wet, in any stage of

preparation when dry this is

: of little consequence,
as it can be brushed off again.
Should it be found desirable to use the gelatine
in this way in a cold room without a fire, a simple
a few
warming apparatus may be extemporised in
in a gal-
minutes thus place a Child's night light
:

lid a little water, put on each side

lipot containing
of the, light a piece of wood about half an inch
of
higher than the top of the flame, cut a piece
with an old of scissors (a piece
of any kind
tin, pair
of canister will do), long enough to reach from one
wood to the other, and a little wider than the
piece of
which contains the gelatine solution. Should
glass
 22

the tin not be sufficiently rigid it may be made so by

turning up the edges this will at the same time

;

prevent the glass slipping off. Having warmed the

solution to commence with, after coating each plate

place the beaker on the tin over the light whilst

setting up that plate to drain and taking up another ;

this will keep the solution quite fluid enough.

Should it be preferred, the gelatine can be poured

nearly in the same manner and almost as easily as

collodion, without a levelling-stand, by using two
beakers, and placing the funnel in one, while the solu-
tion is poured on the plate from the other.

The be taken up on the

plates, if quite cold, may
holder, and held an instant over an open vessel of
hot water the vapour con-
sufficient size containing ;

densed on the glass facilitates the flow of the liquid,

which should be poured on immediately, carrying the
beaker along the middle of the glass from end to end ;

a little tilting towards each corner will cover the plate.

Should any part remain uncovered it may be touched
with the edge of the beaker the liquid is now to be
;

poured off into the funnel in the other beaker to

remove dust. The bottom of the vessel containing the
gelatine may be occasionally dipped in the hot water
to keep the solution fluid if necessary.

By adding more acetic acid, the gelatine may be used

in a cool place without any artificial warming. One
drachm of glacial acetic acid to seven drachms of water,
or an equivalent proportion of weaker acid, and five
 23

in such
grains of gelatine, will work in this way but ;

a case the plates must be quite cold, or the solution

will be rendered too limpid. This plan is not quite so
safe as that described, before, but will answer well if
the plates are heated pretty strongly for some time to

complete the drying. Acetic acid does not cbange the

some other but
gelatine into metagelatine like acids,

merely acts as a solvent, and being volatile is easily

driven off by heat. The acid, if not thus removed,

would cause solution of the gelatine during the subse-
quent exciting and washing.
The previous coating of gelatine is peculiarly suited
to this process, as the tannin solution, when concen-

trated by drying, renders the gelatine partially, if not

entirely, insoluble, so that it holds to the glass with

great firmness, and cannot afterwards easily be

loosened by any amount washing, provided a

of
to the
strongly alkaline or hot liquid be not applied
film. The working of the gelatine will be found very
asy and certain in practice if done by any
of the

above described methods. The plates can be coated

and set up to drain at the rate of more than one per
minute, and unless dust fall on the surface between
the pouring off of the solution and setting up to drain,
a speck will never be seen on the film.
Plates covered with iodized gelatine will keep well
without any extraordinary precaution against damp. If

a large number are prepared, pack them when dry face

downwards (except the lowest glass which should have

 24=

its face up), with a strip of blotting paper at each end

folded like a fan, a fold being inserted between each

plate and the next, beginning with the lowest and

working upwards. The
glasses may then be stored in
a box. In this way they will not be liable to be con-
taminated by flies or other insects or they may bo
;

kept in a grooved box. Plates coated with uniodized

gelatine, unless kept perfectly dry, are often attacked

by mould, which produces round black spots on the

pictures when developed.
It will be found practically that it is much easier to

produce perfectly clean negatives with the gelatine

than without it, and that this coating has the further
merit of effectually masking slight scratches and
defects in the glass, to say nothing of the advantage

of rendering success independent of the mechanical

condition of the collodion.
If a large number of plates are gelatinized at one

operation, scarcely any extra expenditure of time and

trouble is involved, for if used without any preliminary

coating the glasses must be much more carefully

cleaned, and the edges of the film will often require

varnishing before development.

The gelatine does not appear to injure the bath for
use in this process, or in all probability for any other

process in which the whole of the nitrate of. silver is

removed by washing, at any rate for a long time : a

bath in which gelatinized plates had been excited for

months, was found to produce negatives quite as bright

 25

and vigorous as if freshly made, although no precautions-

had been taken, such as wiping the backs of the
glasses to remove gelatine.
So little indeed was this
bath injured that it would produce brilliant and vigour-
ous negatives by the wet process when a collodion

containinga proportion of bromide was used ;

large
the plates excited in it showed no tendency to fogging,

and resisted solarization remarkably well. After a

year's use, however,

it began to produce slight fogging
with tannin plates, but was quite restored by neutral-

ising and boiling. This bath

was acid a neutral bath ;

is less liable to be injured, as it has less solvent action

on the gelatine, and less power to hold organic matter

in solution. Should it however be desired to prepare
plates for this process in a wet collodion bath without

injuring it, at the same time securing all the advan-

tages of the gelatine coating, a plan will be described

in the concluding chapter which at the cost of a little
more trouble will fulfil these conditions, and give
even greater adhesion.
A thin solution of India-rubber may be used instead

of gelatine. Soak one grain -of raw India-rubber," cut

* Different samples of India-rubber vary greatly in solu-

bility in most cases a quantity sufficient for the purpose will

;

be dissolved, but it is desirable to use n tolerably soluble

sample : the whiter and more opaque when freshly cut, the less
soluble is the India-rubber likely to prove. A larger propor-
tion of India-rubber than that given above may be used, espe-

cially when it is not very soluble but if the solution is too

;

thick the collodion film will crack when dried and warmed, if
much too thick, when dried spontaneously.
 26

into very thin slices, in one ounce of benzole for twenty-

four hours, or as much longer as is convenient ; then

filter through thin paper of open texture in a glass
funnel. Lay a piece of patent plate-glass on the top,
which may be ground level on a flat stone with sand
and water in this way evaporation to any extent will
;

be prevented. A portion of India-rubber remaining

undissolved in a gelatinous state will probably im-

pede the filtering the first time; when the liquid

has run through, filter two or three times through
a fresh paper the solution will now pass as quickly
;

as water. Place the glasses to be coated before the

fire on the draining-stancl until warm, to ensure
dryness, then turn the stand round. As soon as
the plates are" quite cold take up one on a pneumatic
holder, and cover in the same manner as with collo-
dion; when the liquid has been returned to the

bottle, but before it has quite ceased to drip, dry

T>y holding vertically before the fire at a short dis-

tance, then place the plate on the side of the drain-

ing-stand next the fire ;

put down the holder on the
far side from the and take up the next glass
fire,

with another holder: by using two alternately we

avoid the inconvenience of a hot holder, which would

prevent the regular flow of the solution. The sur-

face of the India-rubber does not always dry bright
without heat: treated in this way it is as bright as
is some risk of ash-dust adhering
the glass, but there
to the wet surface, and it is sometimes more convenient
 27

to work without a fire. The following method is

therefore hetter :

Crush as small as possible some pieces of good

amber, such as broken mouth-pieces of pipes, by

in several folds of
tough paper strong
enclosing
and striking with a hammer;- put two grains of
India-rubber and one grain of amber in a two-ounce
bottle,with about three drachms of chloroform (methy-
lated will answer the purpose), and allow to soak for a
then fill up with
day or two, shaking occasionally;
or so, and filter.
benzole, and let it soak again a day
This solution appears always to dry bright without
heat. The adhesion produced by either of these
methods is not so great as that of gelatine but it is ;

sufficient, and plates can

be thus prepared with
usually
less trouble and used immediately.
If very strong adhesion is desired, it may be ob-

tained by coating the plates first with gelatine and

afterwards with either of the above solutions of India-

rubber : this plan will also prevent the gelatine from
and will diminish
permeating a porous collodion film,

the risk of injury to the bath. The gelatine should

* After crushing the amher it may be pounded in a mortar

water to prevent the
to a finepowder with a little distilled
from about this will favour solution, but the
fragments flying ;

is a troublesome operation, and the insoluble part of

pounding
the amber, being in a state of minute division, will greatly
impede the filtration of the liquid.
An easier way of preparing
the solution would be to dilute a suitable quantity of India-
rubber cement and amber varnish with benzole.
 28

for this purpose contain acetic acid, but no iodide OK

bromide and, as soon as thoroughly dried, should be
;

covered with the India-rubber, or the surface may be-

come mouldy. The gelatine solution must either be

freshly prepared or contain one drachm of alcohol to

the ounce. Should any decomposition take place it

may be detected by the smell, and by the liquid

becoming limpid : in such a case it must be rejected.

A surface of India-rubber does not allow the collo-
dion to flow quite as freely as on glass or gelatine but ;

itmay be much improved in this respect by polishing

with a velvet rubber, which should be kept for this

purpose only, as a trace of tripoli would render the

surface dull. Gelatine, being much harder, requires
this precaution less,but when not perfectly dry is
sometimes scratched by a rubber which has been used
to finish glasses cleaned with tripoli.
A
preliminary coating is not absolutely necessary,
as, in the way of working which will be described,
almost any kind of collodion can be used without it ;
but it gives considerable advantage by enabling us to
use a thicker film, and to work with less care. If no

previous coating is to be used the glasses should, as

before stated, be ground a little way on the surface.
The sensitiveness and character of the picture will not
be perceptibly affected by the use of India-rubber, or
of gelatine, if
properly managed.
 CHAPTER III,

COLLODION, EXCITING AND WASHING.

ALMOST any collodion will produce

good results with
tannin if
properly managed, no matter how new and
horny, or how old and rotten. Even should it be too

old or too new to work well in the wet process, it will

still succeed. Some difference will, however, be found

in the character of the resulting pictures,

though not
so great as in the wet process, and there will be a
great
difference in the sensitiveness. A new collodion is
the most sensitive, and in the writer's hands gives the

proper red tone and vigour of negative An perfectly.

old and powdery sample, on the other hand, even if

rendered colourless by cadmium, besides being very

insensitive, gives a pale grey image which will not

develop with quite so much vigour and richness of

tone, and the film when varnished is softand liable
to injury, whereas that produced by a new and horny
collodion is, in hardness and durability, only inferior
to albumen.
An opaque film is less necessary in this than in,

some other dry processes which are more liable tt>

solarisation, but is advantageous in all processes for

 30

the successful rendering of landscapes or other sub-

jects which present great contrast, and more especially

in dry processes. When, from bad manipulation in.
pouring the collodion, a streak of greater opacity runs
across a plate, it makes little or no difference on the

foreground ; but on the sky this streak is always more

dense after- development and fixing than the other
parts. It is evident from this that opacity of the film

gives an advantage in allowing longer exposure for the

dark parts of the subject without solarising the sky or

high lights. Again, a collodion film always becomes

more transparent in drying; therefore, to obtain

equally good results, the film should be more opaque

when first excited on a plate which is to be used dry,

than on one which is to be used wet. Opacitymay be

obtained partly by dissolving in the collodion as much

pyroxyline as will work well, so as to produce a thick

film, and partly by using as large a proportion of iodide

and bromide as can be kept in the film. The amount

of opasity which can be obtained therefore depends

greatly, in the first place, on the preliminary coating,

and in the next place on the strength of the exciting
bath.

Simply iodized collodion may be used, but the

presence of bromide greatly increases sensitiveness.
Any collodion which is sensitive and gives good re-

sults in thewet process, if it does not contain iodide

of potassium, may be rendered suitable for use with

tannin in the following manner : If the collodion is

 31

not iodized, to one ounce of iodizing solution- add

three drachms of alcohol s.g. -805, and fifteen grains

of bromide of cadmium. If the collodion is already

iodized, dissolve ten grains of bromide of cadmium

in six drachms of plain collodion and two drachms of
alcohol s.g. -805, and
mix three parts of this bromized
collodion with eight parts of iodized collodion. If so

bromide found to retard the

large an addition of is

setting of the collodion too much, as may possibly be

the case with some kinds, a smaller proportion roust
be used.
Positive collodion will require less bromide, as it

exact propor-
usually contains some already; but the
tion of iodide and bromide is not of much importance.

The addition of bromide of cadmium to collodion

iodized with iodide of potassium, produces by double

decomposition iodide of cadmium and bromide of

potassium the former impairs the fluidity of the

:

in
collodion, and the latter, being nearly insoluble
strong alcohol, is almost all precipitated. If therefore-
the presence of iodide of potassium in iodized collo-
dion is shown by turbidity on the addition of bromide,
of
it will be better to dissolveequal parts of bromide
ammonium and bromide of cadmium in the smallest

possible quantity of alcohol s.g. '810,

and to add this
solution cautiously until turbidity is produced. The
* If this contain iodide of potassium, which may be known

by its becoming turbid on the addition of bromide of cadmium,

it will be better to a fresh iodizing solution by the

prepare
formula to be given.
 33

collodion will be found to be very little altered in

fluidity, and, when cleared by subsidence, to have

retained enough bromide to improve it greatly for this
purpose ; but from its admitting of the use of but
littlebromide, such collodion cannot be expected to
give a great amount of sensitiveness.
Should any doubt be entertained as to the good effect
of so large a proportion of bromide as that recom-
mended above, it may be easily removed by the follow-

ing experiment: Prepare nine different portions of

the same collodion in such a manner that the first

contains only iodide, the second one part bromide to

eight iodide, and so on, increasing the proportion of

bromide by one-eighth in each until the last contains
equal parts of iodide and bromide. If a tannin plate

is prepared with each of these portions it will be found,

on trial, that the first addition of bromide has greatly

increased sensitiveness, and that considerable increase
isgained by farther additions up to three parts bro-
mide to eight of iodide after this the increase of
:

sensitiveness with each successive addition becomes

less. Between one part of bromide to two of iodide,
.and equal parts of each, the difference is not very

great, but sensitiveness continues to increase with

every addition of bromide, and, as recent experiments

seem to show, the greatest sensitiveness is obtained by
the use of bromide alone ; this, however, requires
different treatment, and when iodide is used at all
it is not usually advantageous much to exceed the
 33

proportion of three parts bromide to five parts

iodide.

Successive additions of bromide, up to equal parts of

iodide and bromide, do not seem to diminish intensity,
but they increase the tendency to blurring with the
same exposure; this may, however, be only the effect
of greater sensitiveness. A very large proportion of
bromide is likely to impair too much the setting of
some collodions, and during the long stay in the bath
rendered necessaiy, crystals containing iodide are apt
to form on the film, even when the nitrate solution is
not over iodized.
Bromide of silver forms a transparent combination
with the collodion, to a greater extent than iodide of
silver a greater weight of iodide and bromide together
;

should therefore be used in a given quantity of collo-

dion, than of iodide, if it alone were employed, other-
wise the film would be less opaque. The different

proportions of iodine and bromine in various iodides

and bromides, and peculiarities in the quality of the

pyroxyline,might slightly affect the proportion of

bromide which can be used consistently with working
well.

Some kinds of collodion, if used without a substra-

tum of gelatine, will split at the thick edges in
drying when a very weak solution of tannin has been
applied. This fault may often be prevented by dis-

solving half a grain or three quarters of a grain of

common rosin in each ounce of the iodized collodion,
c
 34

The presence of the resin makes but little difference

in other respects ; whether it is au improvement or
not will probably be found to depend on the character
of the collodion in some samples it gives a slight
;

advantage when the solution of tannin is weak, and a

slight disadvantage when it is strong.
Another way of preventing tbe annoyance in ques-
tion is to paint round a narrow. strip at the edge of the

glass very thinly with a solution of gelatine, about two

jind a-half grains to the ounce, and dry before coating
with India-rubber or collodion ; if the glasses are

previously warmed the gelatine will dry as fast as it

can be applied. In this way the edges of the film will
be made to adhere well during development or, if the ;

effect of the gelatine on the bath is feared, the edges

of the excited and washed film may be treated in the
same manner when the surface has drained just dry
enough to prevent any spreading of the gelatine,
which in this case must be uniodized it should be so :

under India-rubber.
Collodion which gives a dense and horny film works
well with tannin, but a somewhat porous film is more-

sensitive. A porous texture may be obtained by pre-

paring the pyroxyline in acids at a high temperature,

but it seems better to produce the effect by using a
full proportion of water at a moderate temperature ;

still greater sensitiveness may in this way be obtained,

the pyroxyline is more soluble, and the collodion
becomes clear by subsidence more quickly.
 35

The writer is indebted to Mr. Glover, of Liverpool,

for tbo following excellent formula for pyroxylme for
this process :

in
"Prepare the cotton by boiling a. five-per-cent.

solution of pearlash; wash thoroughly from the

alkali, and dry perfectly,

Sulphuric acid, T845 5 ounces.

Kitric acid, 1-370* 2

Water 1 drachm.
When the temperature sinks to 145 immerse two and
a-half drachms prepared cotton, in tufts of not more
than thirty grains each, taking care that each tuft is
well saturated. Cover up for ten minutes. Then lift
out with two glass spatulas, squeezing out as much of
the acids as possible, and throw into a large quantity
of water, separating the cotton so as to dilute the acid

as quickly as possible. Change the water every five

minutes, six times, well

squeezing between each

change, during which time it must

have the sole

attention, as I find the more rapidly it is washed the

more soluble is the product. To the last change of

water add ten grains bicarbonate soda, which neu-
tralizes the last traces of acid without affecting the

nature of the pyroxylme. Rinse and dry rapidly."

The quality of the pyroxyline is affected by the
* Nitric acid of any commercial strength may be diluted

with water, or strengthened by adding stronger acid, until an

accurate hydrometer indicates this specific gravity at a tempe-
rature of CO . Mr. Glover does not find that adding the water
when the acids are mixed 1ms the same effect.
kind of cotton used, the extent to which the cleansing
is carried, and the complete removal or otherwise of

tho potash, as well as by the strength, temperature,

and purity of the acids. The pyroxyline should be
decidedly disintegrated, but the best test of success is

the weight of the pyroxyline when thoroughly dried :

it should be about ten per cent, greater than that of

the cotton. The weight and quality of the result may
be regulated by the quantity of water used with -the
acids ;
the larger its amount the smaller will be the

weight Mr. Glover uses Egyptian

of the product.

cotton; the best American, if treated in the same

manner, produces a much greater weight, and the

is less disintegrated : in this case the collo-
pyroxyline
dion will be less sensitive.
This pyroxyline is very soluble, and the collodion
made from it is stable and very sensitive. It flows

freely even after considerable loss of ether from use.

It adheres firmly to the glass, and is therefore well

adapted for working without any preliminary coating ;

it does not, however, set quickly, and therefore it is

not advisable to use in it much alkaline iodide nor any

alkaline bromide. If the collodion is to be

kept long
after being iodized it will be better to use the iodide
and bromide of cadmium exclusively ; in this case a

little free iodine (as much as will produce a lemon

yellow tint) will probably be required to make it work

well in a neutral bath. The proportion of iodide of

ammonium may, on the other hand, be larger if the

 37

collodion is to be used soon after being iodized, espe-

cially if the pyroxylins is of a different kind, which

gives a quickly setting and horny collodion : in this

way greater fluidity may be obtained. When a large

amount of bromide is used, that of cadmium is to
be preferred to that of ammonium, for not only is the
but it usually
latter sparingly soluble in strong alcohol,

retards the setting of the collodion too much.

PLAIN COLLODION.
Pyroxyline grains.
Ether 4 drachms.
Alcohol, s. g. -805 a
IODIZING SOLUTION.
Iodide of cadmium 13v grains.
Iodide of ammonium- 4
Bromide of cadmium 10jV

Alcohol, s.
g. *805 1 ounce.
If the alcohol is really of this strength, which is

*
The amorphous kind of iodide of ammonium is better than
that which is sold in hard crystals ; the former, though less
stable, much more soluble in alcohol. This unstable and
being
deliquescent iodide may be kept in the following manner:
Procure a common bell glass (a sufficiently large one of
green glass costs only a few pence), grind the bottom on a
flat stone with sand and water, grease the ground edge and

place on a sheet of plats glass; keep the iodide in an open

vessel under the bell glass with another open vessel contain-

ing some lumps of quick lime. A piece of filtering paper

pressed over the mouth of the vessel containing the iodide will
prevent all chance of lime being mixed with it. The iodide,
will become quite dry and nearly colourless, and will remain so
for any length of time.
 38

rarely the case, a weaker sample, s. g. -810, may be

used for the iodizing solution ;
but it will be better
not to use the weaker kind unless that which is sold

as the stronger has been accurately tested.

To three parts of plain collodion add one part of

iodizing solution.
This collodion will work well with a forty or fifty

grain bath. If it is excited in a weak bath the pro-

portion of iodide and bromide be found too great
may
to be kept in the film. In such a case the iodizing
solution may be diluted with a little more alcohol.

Should the collodion be found too thick for use on

large plates, it may, after iodizing, be diluted with

other and alcohol.
Bromo-iodized collodion will produce good results,
but simply bromized collodion is
strongly recommended
as being in most cases preferable the latter is about :

twice as sensitive as the former and seems, so far as

;

it has been have no tendency while in the ex-

tried, to

citing bath to form the needle-shaped crystals which

are so common an annoyance when the collodion con-
tains iodide. Above all, the bromized collodion will

produce a better negative when the subject presents

great contrast, such as sky and dark objects, as it will
bear over-action of light better, and shows no tendency
to produce blurring along the edges of the strongly-

lighted parts of the subject.

Bromized collodion seems to be particularly suitable

for use with tannin. In a great number of trials with

 39

different kinds of collodion, and various modes of

treatment, the iodide and bromide in no one instance

approached the bromide in sensitiveness, even when

the latter was used in a much less sensitive collodion,

or in quality of negative with a landscape subject when

both were exposed long enough for the darkest parts.
Two precautions are necessary when bromide alone
is used :
First, not to use a very slow-setting collo-
dion probably almost any sample intended for the wet
process will answer ; second, to excite in a strong bath,
and keep the plate in long enough.
It is much easier to make pyroxyline suitable for
bromide than for iodide, as in the former case the point
of solution must not be so nearly approached as would

be desirable in the latter. Besides this, the sensitive-

ness of bromide does not seem to be so much affected as

that of iodide by the mechanical state of the collodion.

Many experiments have been made to ascertain the

best kind of pyroxyline for use with bromide. Three
parts of sulphuric to one part of nitric acid will give a
kind which works well, but is rather deficient in sensi-
tiveness. When equal parts of sulphuric and nitric
acid are used, the collodion flows well and is very
sensitive, but has too little setting power. Two parts
sulphuric acid and one nitric acid seem to produce the
best results on the whole. The formula already given
does not make a collodion which will set quite quickly
enough; but, if modified in the following manner,
'

answers at least as well as any which has been tried :

 40

pound of the best American cotton

Boil a quarter of a
for two hours in a gallon of water and two ounces of
caustic potash, as recommended by Mr. Hardvvich;

then wash by alternately holding under a stream of

water and pressing strongly between the hands. In
this way the potash is removed much more quickly
than by soaking. If worked well the whole time, about

twenty minutes' washing will be sufficient. Dry

thoroughly, and immerse in the acids at a temperature

of 125 and keep in for twenty minutes wash in the ;

same manner as after the potash. After about fifteen

minutes press out the water well, and pour on the
pyroxylin e as much weak solution of bicarbonate of

soda as it will hold ; then wash well again in the same

manner as before. In all points not specified Mr.
Glover's formula is to be followed. The gain in weight
should be about fifty per cent.
This pyroxyline is very soluble, and makes a bright
collodion which is fit for use in a short time sets ;

if
anything too quickly, and keeps very clean in deve-
loping, but is not very fluid. If the collodion is not
found to flow freely enough, it may be mixed with some
made by Mr. Glover's formula. It is much easier to

regulate the quality of the collodion in this way, by

varying the proportions, than to make a sample of

pyroxyliue which will give exactly the qualities re-

quired ; but, if preferred, the temperature of the acids

and time immersion may be intermediate.

of For
instance, the temperature 135 to 140, immersion

about fifteen minutes.

 41

BKOMIZED COLLODION.
Pyroxylins 5 grains.

Bromide of cadmium 8
Alcohol '805 4 drachms.
Ether 4
Put the whole in a tall, shake up until
narrow bottle,
-
the solution of the pyroxyline and bromide is complete T
then allow to settle clear and decant. If the alcohol
is weaker, or if the pyroxyline is of a kind likely to

give too little setting power, a larger proportion of

ether should be used.
No fear need be entertained that the bromide will
burst out like iodide, if even in larger proportion than
that given above ; but if the collodion is of an unsuit-
able kind, and will not set well, irregular markings of

unequal thickness in the direction of the dip may

be formed, and if so will be plainly visible by trans-
mitted light, although the surface when dry will pro-

bably be quite bright.

The addition of a few drops of a strong alcoholic-
solution of bromine* to an ounce of the collodion
seems to be an improvement, but bromine can only be
* To make ounces of alcohol,
this solution, pour three fluid

s.g. '805, intoa thin heaker, and place on the far side of a bottle
of strong solution of ammonia from which the stopper has been
removed. To avoid the ill effects of the noxious 1'umes of the
bromine, do not remove the stopper from the bottle which con-
tains it until it is held beyond the ammonia, and keep it there
as long as open. Pour into the alcohol about one ounce by
weight of bromine cautiously, a little at a time, stirring with a
much heat will be evolved. Cover with a glass
glass rod, as
plate, and when quite cold pour into a bottle which stops well.
 42

iised with a quick-setting collodion, as it tends still

more than bromide to retard the setting.

yellow The
colour given by the bromine will probably soon disap-

pear, but the collodion will retain an acid reaction.

The bromized collodion should be excited in a sixty-

grain bath, and should be kept in for about fifteen

minutes. If the formula given above is followed the film
will be very creamy. The collodion may be made much
thinner by the addition of ether and alcohol, and it can
then be excited in a weaker bath and more quickly.
When both are prepared with a weak solution of
tannin, and developed in the ordinary way with nitrate
of silver and acid, the bromized collodion is far more
sensitive and gives better results than bromo-iodized

collodion ; but the former developes much more slowly

than the and produces intensity with difficulty.
latter,

With the alkaline developer, which will be described,

the bromized collodion developes very readily, aud

easily produces ample intensity when tannin solution

x>f sufficient strength has been used.
The proportion of ether and alcohol is of no groat

importance in this process, but to obtain sensitiveness,

and adhesion of the film without gelatine, it is best to
use just as much ether as will produce an uniform aud

perfect film, and no more. The greater the quantity

of water present, the larger must be the proportion
of ether to work well. The proportion of ether re-
quired is also dependent on the quality of the pyroxy-
line : it should be large enough to render the film
 43

smooth of surface and free from mottled markings

of unequal thickness.
Almost any nitrate of silver bath will answer, if pure
and neutral or slightly acid, and not below the strength
of thirty grains to the ource for a rather thin iodized

collodion. An impure and neutral or an alkaline bath

will not succeed, being liable to cause fogging, and
after this commences the half-tones will not develope.

Hence a neutral or slightly acid bath may be said to

give greater sensitiveness than an alkaline one, although

.an excess of acid beyond what is
necessary to keep the
picture clear will greatly diminish sensitiveness. The
following method of preparing a bath will be found as
good as any for this process Dissolve, and saturate
:

with iodide and bromide in the usual way forty to

sixty grains of nitrate of silver for each ounce of water.

For bromized collodion the bath may be saturated with
bromide only. If the solution is not already acid it
should be made just perceptibly so with nitric acid ;

then stir in a small quantity of bicarbonate of soda or

carbonate of silver* until the liquid is permanently
* Carbonate of silver is easily obtained
by precipitating the
silver from a solution of nitrate with bicarbonate of soda, and

v.-ashing the precipitate. Strong solution of nitrate should be

used, or the carbonate of silver will not sink quickly, and much
of it may be lost in washing, unless the operation is performed
on a filter. For an old bath which contains much iodide of
silver it is better to use carbonate of silver than bicarbonate of

soda, as the latter decomposes some of the nitrate of silver,

.and may thus, by weakening the solution, bring it into an over-
iodized state.
 44

turbid, and filter. The bath may be slightly acidified

with acetic or nitric acid ; but the writer has found by
recent experience that a perfectly neutral bath can be

used, and gives greater sensitiveness.- It has the

further advantages, as has been already observed, of

having but little solvent action on gelatine, and of

keeping longer in good working order, as it will not

readily hold injurious organic matter in solution. If

the presence of acid is required, it may be used in the
form of a little free iodine iu the collodion if this con-
tains iodide. To prevent the accumulation of nitiic
acid in the bath, it should be returned to the bottle
after use, through a containing carbonate of
filter

silver. The same be used for a long time.

filter may
Agood way of managing the bath is as follows :

Make a considerable quantity, take as much as will

till the trough, and filter as above described every time

used until it no longer work well; then pour into

will

a separate vessel. The symptoms of deterioration and

mode of restoring when the whole has been used, will
be described in the concluding chapter.
Another good plan is to keep the bath solution in
the dark room with carbonate of silver enough to form
* Unless, as stated above, it is impure, and causes slight
fogging. A bath which has been much used in an acid state is
not likely to work well if merely neutralized and then used im-
mediately. It should be made alkaline with a few drops of

ammonia, and then be exposed in a white bottle to the sun's

rays for some days at least, or be boiled, to precipitate organic
matter. After this it should be filtered and then acidified and
neutralized, as described above.
 43

a deposit in the bottle about a quarter of an inch deep .

If the bottle contains a much larger quantity of the

solution than is required for use, it may be poured off
clear without 'filtering ;
a little nitric acid may then be
added. For this purpose dilute one part s.g. 1-300
\vithtwo parts water one drop of this will be enough
;

for from ten to thirty ounces of the bath. The exact

quantity of acid necessary will depend on a variety of
circumstances. This plan is better than the addition
of iodine to simply bromized collodion, and appears to
answer exceedingly well. If a little free bromine can

be used in the collodion much the same effect will be

produced, with perhaps less loss of sensitiveness, and

-no acid need be added to the bath. The bath being
neutralized every time after use precipitates nearly all

the organic matter it may have acquired, and a

little

very small trace of acid will keep the pictures clear,

as the bath is always used in a freshly acidified state.
The amount of sensitiveness obtainable in this or

any other pi'ocess depends greatly on the smallness

of the quantity of acid required to prevent fogging.
"When the bath is
kept permanently in an acid state, the
accumulation of oi'ganic matter will render more and
more acid necessary. A bath treated as just described
will give nearly the highest attainable degree of sensi-

tiveness, and is not likely, if used with bromized collo-

dion, to get out of order unless by absorbing in time a

large quantity of alcohol. It will be as well to add,

-.after pouring out for use, a small quantity of plain

 46

nitrate solution of the same strength as the bat!i r

about as much as it wasted the last time used. A

piece of thin filtering paper pressed over the mouth of
the bottle instead of the stopper will keep out dust,
mid at the same time permit the escape of the ether
and of much of the alcohol, and of the carbonic acid
liberated by the nitric acid from the carbonate of
silver.

A strong bath is better than a weak one, as it

enables us to use a thick and highly-iodized or brotni/edf

collodion, and so to produce an opaque film : in all

cases itsaves time by exciting more quickly.

The plates are to be coated with collodion and excited
in the usual manner, and washed, first in distilled water,

and afterwards in common water. The following will

be found to be a good way of managing these opera-
tions Fill two dipping baths with distilled water, andt
:

one or more gutta-percha trays, or other convenient

vessels, with common water, and place all near the

exciting bath. Take up a plate with a pneumatic

holder, and rub the surface with the velvet rubber to-

remove any slightly adhering particles of dust, turning

in such a direction that the slight current of air whiclb

exists in almost every room may carry dust away from,

the place where the plate is to be coated. A common

one-ounce, two-ounce, or three-ounce phial, according
to tlie size of the plates, is better than the bottles-

usually made for the purpose of pouring collodion,

since the cork keeps the neck much cleaner than ai
 47

glass stopper, and prevents the formation of dried or

half-dried, fragments. Take out the cork, and remove
<lust from the rim before commencing. It will be better

not to wipe it while coating plates in rapid succession,

cure being taken to pour from the same side of the rim'

every time. The bottle should be kept nearly full,

by
adding from another bottle every few plates, or any
sediment at the bottom will be disturbed. The collo-
dion in the second bottle should be thinner and contain
more ether, according to the size of the plates, to allow
for evaporation and keep it in the same state. Coat in
the usual way, pouring off, by preference, from the-
same corner on which the glass was drained after being

gelatini/ed, that the thickest part of the collodion may

be on the thickest part of the gelatine. If lines have

been formed along the two lower edges in drying,

they will in this way be covered by the thick edges of

the collodion.
Take the plate off the holder as soon as the collodion
lias ceased to flow, still keeping that side downwards

which was lowest in pouring off, and tilt it at a con-

siderable angle on the edge of the screw-holder, or

other convenient place, to prevent the thick edge

spreading back on the plate. Touch the thick edge
to ascertain when set enough, which is known by its
just taking the impression of the finger. The film
need not be more set than for the wet process, when
gelatine has been used. If the plate be not quickly

removed from the holder, the excited film will show a

 48

circle of greater where it was attached.

transparency
This mark is caused by difference of temperature, and
the effect is produced very quickly when the glass is thin.
When the film is sufficiently set, immerse in the

hath, and give the plate a lateral circular motion for a

few seconds, prevent streaks in the direction of the
to

dip and to hasten the action. Take up another plate

on the holder, rub as before, and lay it down until
required. When the first plate has been in the bath

nearly long enough, out of the liquid ten or

lift it

twelve times then sweep the next plate gently once

;

or twice with the rubber, coat with collodion, and tilt

up to set, as before. Now take the first plate out of

the bath, drain the lowest corner for a few seconds

against the dipper, and place in the first bath of dis-

tilled water. This operation will usually occupy about
AS much time as the next plate requires to set: touch
the thick edge to ascertain if
ready, and immerse in

the bath.
.
Should the temperature be very high, a quickly-
may not allow of this way of working,
setting collodion
the film becoming too dry, as shown, after excitement,

by the transparency of the edges which were uppermost

when the collodion was poured off. In such a case the
first plate must be removed from the bath before the
second is coated ; but the plan above described will be

generally practicable, and saves much time. After the

second plate is in the bath, the first is removed from
distilled water No. 1 into distilled water No. 9.
 49

Proceed in the same manner throughout : that is,

after immersing each plate iu the exciting bath, pick up

the next and rub the surface then move the plates up;

and down in both distilled water baths a few times :

then shift the plate in No. 2 into the common water,

and lift the edge of the dish to make the water flow
over it. Next remove the plate from No. 1 into No. 2,
just made vacant lift the plate in the nitrate bath ten
;

or more times cover the next with collodion and

; ;

so on till all the plates to be prepared are in the com-

mon water, where they may remain for hours without
injury. When all the plates have been coated, wipe
the rim and outside of the neck of the collodion
bottle well, that dried fragments may not fall on the
glasses next time.
The distilled water need not be changed until a
considerable number of plates have been washed,

when the second bath may be substituted for the

first, which is then to be emptied and filled with fresh

distilled water. A greater number of dipping-baths

may be used with advantage ; the last may then con-

tain water which will precipitate nitrate of silver. If

dipping baths are not at hand, horizontal dishes will

Answer the purpose and, if large enough to hold
;

several plates, the first dish may be filled before re~

moving each plate in its turn to the second dish.

When the last is full, the plates should be placed in
the same manner in the common water. The washing
in distilled water until but a slight trace of nitrate
D
 50

remains is necessary when the common water is hard,

to prevent violent decomposition of the nitrate hy the
action of the salts in the water, and consequent
precipitation and adhesion to the film of insoluble

salts of silver.

The whole of the hefore described operations can he.

conducted whilst the plates are exciting in the bath ;

and, since a second plate is always put into the. bath

as soon as the fully-sensitized one is taken out, no
time Collodion plates prepared for any dry
is lost.

process require a longer stay in the exciting bath thait

would be necessary for the wet process, as in the latter
case the action of the nitrate, if not quite complete,
will go on after the removal of the plate, the solution

being left on the film ; besides this, collodion which

contains much bromide requires a longer time to
excite than if it contained iodide alone ;'' and iodized
gelatine makes a little longer stay in the bath neces-
sary. If from any cause the time of exciting is greater
than that taken up by the other operations, when un-
roated glasses are used, while each plate is in the bath
the next may be cleaned. If a previous coating has

been applied, the best plan will be to use two exciting

baths, and immerse a plate in each before taking out
the first. By taking the excited plate out of each
alternately and immediately immersing another, twice

* It is probably owing to this circumstance, and to the,-

readier development of the iodide, that the superior sensitive-

r.css of bromide in a dry state has. not been recognized.
 51

us long as if only one bath was employed may be given

i'ni
1
the exciting of each plate, without loss of time.
When the collodion contains only bromide, three or
four exciting baths should be used ; and every time a
plate is immersed the others should be moved about a
.little, but they must not be lifted out of the liquid too
soon.
It is very important that the plates should be fully

excited, or they will not only be generally insensitive,

but patches, spots, and mottled markings of insen-

sitiveness, with soft edges, may appear, something

like those seen on imperfectly excited albumenized

paper.
Tbe plates should not be less than half an hour
in the common water: sometimes, when the collodion
is thick and close in texture, much longer may be
required, especially if the water is not very hard.
Should the water be too pure to precipitate nitrate
of silver, it may be used instead of distilled water
for the first and second washing baths, and have a
very small quantity of salt dissolved in it for the third.

The plates may be steeped in strong salt and water,

if thought desirable, without perceptible alteration of
quality in any way, provided the salt be entirely re-

moved. No economy of time, however, results from

this mode
working on the contrary, it takes a
of ;

longer washing to remove the salt than is required for

the nitrate of silver, since the former is acted on only

mechanically, the latter chemically as well, by hard

 52

water. A very small trace of chloride of sodium re-

maining in the film will greatly diminish sensitiveness

and intensity.-'-
By the time that six plates have been put into com-
mon water the first may be ready to be coated with
tannin ; but, if as many as a do/.en or two are to be

prepared, it will be found more convenient to finish

one operation before commencing another, and greater
security will thereby be afforded against the presence
of traces of nitrate of silver, which would be likely to
cause stains. It will be as well to cover the vessels

containing the common water witli large gutta-percha

trays, to keep out light and dust while the excited
plates are being washed.
* It would
appear, theoretically, better to immerse the plates
du a bath of distilled or boiled water containing a little salt
before placing them in common water, which would otherwise
seem likely to precipitate carbonate of silver in the film, and
so impair the keeping quality. The writer has not observed
any deterioration from this cause ;
whether such deterioration
take place or not may, however, depend on the nature and

.quantity of the salts contained in tlic water.

 CHATTER IV.
COATING WITH TANNIN.
COMMERCIAL tannin appears to be very uniform in
but some samples contain more insoluble
its action,*

resinous matter than others. This impurity is not

injurious, but it increases the difficulty of preparing-

and filtering the liquid. The solution may be varied
in strength, between two grains and thirty grains to

the ounce, for different kinds of subjects. A strong

solution slightly diminishes sensitiveness, but produces
a very rich and vigorous picture when the subject
is uniformly feebly lighted and presents little con-
* Two samples of tannin were forwarded by Mr. AVilliams,
of Liverpool, one of which he found to yield less sensitiveness
than the other, and otherwise inferior results. Both samples
were dissolved in water mixed with a little alcohol, hut were
not tried for several months at the end of that time on being
:

examined both solutions were clear and in good condition.

The worse had thrown down a rather copious flocculent deposit,
the better a slight deposit which adhered to the bottom of the

phial. Several plates were prepared with each and tried care-

fully in pairs. Scarcely any difference appeared in the results ;

the worse sample seemed generally to have a slight advantage

in sensitiveness, and there was a little difference in the colour
of the images. It would appear from this that some samples
of tannin contain an injurious impurity which is precipitated
by keeping in solution.
 54

trast; these same qualities, however, are unfavourable

to the production of the best kind of negative from a
well-lighted subject containing great contrast, such as
a landscape with sky and foliage or dark objects for ;

in such a case, when the exposure is

long enough for
the dark parts, a strong solution of tannin on iodized
collodion tends to produce a kind of irritability and
over-action in the high lights which causes them, in

development, to encroach on the more transparent

parts of the negative it is therefore better for this kind
:

of work to use as weak a solution as is

compatible with
and vigour of development.
sufficient facility

The difficulty which was found at first in using a

thin coating of tannin is now removed in a manner
which will be described, and a two-grain solution
will usually answer well for landscapes ; but a stronger
solution may be used if it isnot found to produce the
fault alluded to above; sometimes as much as fifteen

grains to the ounce may with good management be

used successfully even with this kind of subject. The
amount of tannin which will give the best result may
be affected by various circumstances, such as the nature
of the collodion, heat or coldness of the weather, and
the focal length and size of aperture of the lens; the
feebler theimage in the camera, the stronger may the
solution of tannin be. In no other process can the

vigour and intensity of the picture be so easily regu-

lated as in this by varying the strength of the tannin

solution.
 55

A larger amount of tauuiii may bo applied to a

-collodion which contains only bromide than to one con-

taining iodide, as the former appears to have no ten-

dency to produce blurring; about eight grains to the

ounce will answer well with it for landscape subjects,

more may be used if found desirable.

To avoid the trouble of often weighing out the tannin
a quantity of solution may be made in a somewhat con-
centrated state. Thirty-two grains to the ounce is a
convenient strength. Mix one hundred and twenty-
tight grains of tannin with three ounces of distilled
water in a glass vessel, stirring occasionally with a glass
rod until dissolved. If much resinous matter be present
it will, with entangled tannin, form glutinous lumps
which require some time and much stirring to break up.
Should but little resin be present, the solution will bo
complete in a few minutes, when the liquid is to bo

iilteredthrough paper. The rapidity of filtering like-

wise varies with the amount of resin present. In all
cases this operation w ill be
r
facilitated by previously
.allowing sufficient time to complete the solution. Should
the filter become clogged, pour back the solution into

-a
glass, and change the paper.
When the liquid has passed through, filter two or
three times through a fresh paper (after this no future
trouble will be caused in the same way) ; then add one
ounce of alcohol. If this were done before filtering,
''

*
Methylated alcohol should never be applied to a film of
/ollodion, as the wood naphtha which it contains is a solvent
-of pyroxyline.
 50

some of the resinous matter would be dissolved, and,,

being gradually precipitated by the evaporation of the

alcohol, would be always clogging the filters.
This solution will contain four grains of tannin in
oach drachm it will keep any length of time in a
;

corked bottle, and improve with age. Dilute to the

strength required in three common phials, and number

1, 2, and 3 if much diluted half a drachm of alcohol
;

to the ounce may be added in 1 and 2, and one drachm

to the ounce in 3. The use of the alcohol is to pre-
serve the solution and to enable it to penetrate the

collodion film more readily ; when no alcohol is used

the lower part in draining sometimes developes more

intensely than the upper part, where the tannin solu-

tion had less time to penetrate before drying.

Take two glass measures and place in each a small

gutta-percha funnel containing a fresh filtering paper ;

pour the contents of No. 1 into one, and No. 3 into

the other. Place three levelling stands side by side ;

lift the end of the first excited plate with a silver hook

(or, which will do as well, with a piece of stick having

a sharp-ended foot nearly at right angles made by

cutting off where a small branch comes out), and, when

the end is out of the water, take the plate up with the

fingers and place it on a pneumatic holder. Wash,

under a tap for a few seconds to remove any dust out
the surface. Plates are often spoiled in this operation

by dirty water splashed from the sink. To avoid this,

tilt up under the tap a large plate of glass, or a piece

of board or slate, or a porcelain dish upside down, at
an angle of 30 to 45.
Rinse the film with a little distilled water to remove
the saline matters of the common water, and to prevent
their being mixed with the tannin solution ; then, if the

plate be small, hold it vertically, so that the end at

which the collodion left uppermost, take
the plate is

hold of the two corners of this end with the right hand
covered with a clean cloth, detach the holder, and wipe
the back slightly with the left hand ; then, shifting
it under a dry part of the cloth, take hold of the two
lower corners, and wipe again with the right hand. The
draining and wiping will take about half a minute.
The object of wiping the back is to prevent water coming
into contact with the points of the levelling stand, and
then carrying impurities into the tannin solution besides

diluting it. The object of covering the hands with the

cloth is to prevent water which has touched the fingers
from running on the sensitive surface, and making
marks of insensitiveness, also to avoid making the film,
surface dryby the warmth of the hand, as this would
impede the flow of the tannin solution. Take by the
same corners as before with the right hand: these will
now be surface dry, so the fingers need not be covered

by the cloth. Place on the left hand levelling stand,

and pour some of the solution No. 1 on the right-hand
end of the plate, taking caro to leave the extreme
corners 3 and 4 dry, that the solution may not come
in contact with the fingers.
 58

The corners are here numbered the same as in the cut at page 18,
and the gelatine and collodion are both supposed to have been
drained at 3.

Should the edges have become too dry to allow the

solution to flowon them, pour a little into the funnel,
and while dripping carry along the dry parts with the
nose just clear of the surface. Bubbles are not easily
formed by the liquid, and if formed, break immediately.
Replace the funnel in the glass and hold in the left
hand take the plate by corners 3 and 4 with the right
;

hand, and tilt so as to drive all remaining moisture

before it into the funnel from corner 2. Then pour

on and off in the same manner some of solution No. 2;

pour on again and let it remain until the next two plates
have been treated in the same manner on the two other
stands. This way of working will give ample time for

the solution to penetrate the film, without causing any

loss of time.

Should the glasses be large, after rinsing with dis-

tilledwater hold the plate vertically, with corner %
downwards, and wipe the back round the holder
 59

slightly ; then take by corner 2 with the left hand

covered with the cloth, the angle resting on the thumb,
the back supported by the fingers, and the plate in a

nearly vertical position over the hand remove the

holder, and wipe again with the right hand. Corner
4 is to be kept dry, since by lifting it the solution' is

poured off at corner 2, which is the most convenient

A\ay of working. The wiping cloth should be of

-cotton, and, if used for this purpose only, will remain

sufficiently clean for a long time. When three plates

have been covered with tannin solution, pour off the
iirst, when the surface will show oily lines from the

alcohol: these are of no consequence. Pour on and off

once more. Attach the pneumatic holder, and, when

the solution has nearly ceased to drip, set the plate

upon paper on the draining stand on corner

filtering
J .
By draining on this corner the solution is prevented
from leaving those edges of the'film which are most

.apt to repel it, and at the same time a somewhat thicker

coat of tannin is formed on that part of the plate where
the collodion film is thinnest. This state of things is
favourable to uniform intensity of development.
Cover another plate with tannin in the same manner
on the levelling stand, then drain the next, and so on
till all are set
up to dry. In using tannin solution
.always pour from the plate into the filtering funnel,
which is to be kept in the glass measure, except while
pouring on, when it is to be held in the left hand over
the plate. This involves no trouble or delay, as the
 CO

liquid filters through quite as fast as it can be used,

and in way dust is prevented from accumulating
this

in it. When a number of plates have been prepared

fill
up No. 1 from No. 2, and No. 2 from No. 3 :
by
this means dilution to any extent is avoided.
Before setting up the plates to dry, the tannin may
be thoroughly -washed off;- a decided increase of sen-
sitiveness is thus produced in all cases, even -with a

very horny collodion freshly iodized. The use of bro-

mide alone in the collodion and washing off the tannin,
will increase sensitiveness at least three times. The
chemical effect of the tannin is not lost, nor even
diminished by the washing; a plate prepared with an.

eight-grain solution will show after development the

same difference from one prepared with a two-grain
solution, which would appear if the tannin had been

dried on the film in both cases. By washing off the

tannin, the greater vigour and intensity given by a

strong solution may, if required, be obtained up to a

certain point without the loss of sensitiveness which,

would otherwise be incurred.

In this way of working it is not necessary whilst

using it to filter the tannin solution, which may be used

* The writer has
carefully tried this way of working without
removing the whole of the nitrate of silver from the film befom
pouring on the tannin; hut tho only effect produced hy the
nitrate, as far as he could perceive, was a strong tendency to
form stains : these can to a great extent be avoided by good

management and careful manipulation, but no advantage seem*

to be gained bv thus incurring a risk of forming them.
 01

in a dish or a dipping bath any dust which may fall

;

into the liquid will be removed from the film by the

subsequent washing. This operation is facilitated by

placing the plates, after immersion in the tannin, in a
dish of common water, and allowing them to remain
there until about six are prepared so far; after this,
the washing may be expeditiously completed under a
stream of water, applied uniformly all over the plate
until the oily appearance is quite removed: distilled

water should be used to finish with. If the tannin

were washed off without previous soaking, much more

time would be taken up on account of the resistance to

the water of the alcohol in the tannin solution. The

alcohol, if present in large proportion, is a very good

guide to show when the washing has been carried far
enough. The way of working just described involves
rather less trouble than when the tannin is dried on the

film.

This method is not likely to cause any difficulty

with the collodion prepared by the formula given above
.for use with iodide; but with many kinds, when the

glass has not been coated with gelatine, produces a

it

tendency to split in drying still greater than when only

a small amount of tannin is present. The same pre-
cautions will prevent this fault in both cases [see

page 34],
The glass measures and funnels never require

washing, and the filtering papers need only bo changed

when they work too slowly. The solution may be
 62

returned to the bottles after use.* as it does not appear

to be at all injured when the plates are entirely fret:

from nitrate of silver ;

and this should always be tho
case, since the presence of nitrate often causes stains,
and the sensitiveness of the plates, if dry, is not

thereby increased .f
The tannin solution sometimes becomes mouldy if

kept, particularly when the alcohol has been nearly

removed by evaporation from frequent use. A drop of

oil of cloves in each bottle entirely prevents this ten-

dency, and does not seem to produce any injurious

effect, unless undissolved globules of the oil ai-e poured

upon the film. All chance of such globules may be
avoided by allowing the oil to remain at the bottom of
the bottle, which is never to be quite emptied, and by

taking care not to apply the solution to the sensitive sur-

face without previous filtration. Undissolved globules
of oil, if poured on with the solution, will adhere to tho

film, and produce transparent spots of insensitiveness.

A quantity of strong solution of tannin, which became
very mouldy, and to which oil of cloves was then added,,
>< 'tiled quite clear, and has remained in the same stat&
over since; and, although dark in colour, after four years,

pive as good results as a freshly- prepared solution.

* When a very weak solution used be thought
is it may iiot

worth while to keep it.

f Nitrate of silver dried in the film with the tannin ac-

celerates the development, and makes the image very intense;
hut a negative treated in this way, besides being dirty and
stained, is likely to be hard and devoid of gradation of tone.
 The plates, after being coated with tannin, should be-
left todry spontaneously at a moderate temperature, in a
dry place, rather than by artificial heat. In the case of
the gelatine process, and most other dry processes in
svhich the nitrate of silver is entirely removed,
drying
strongly by heat is favourable to sensitiveness; but plates

prepared with tannin appear to be exceptional, their sen-

sitiveness being increased by drying up to a certain

point, and beyond that being diminished again. The

amount of dryness which appears to be most favourable-

is about that which the film will attain spontaneously

in the ordinary state of the air. It is evident from the

above that, however dried, the film should be uniformly

dry when exposed. Another objection to drying at a

high temperature is, that it renders the film, if used
immediately, more liable to loosen from the glass when
moistened for development. On the other hand, if the
film be exposed when in too moist a state, the definition
of the image will be found to be injured.

Great care should be taken not to expose the plates

to light whilst drying, as even the light from a dull
lire will soon injure them. In fact, while exciting, and

during every subsequent stage of preparation, when

much bromide is used special care should be taken
that the light is as non-actinic as possible, and that the

plates are not exposed to more than is necessary even

of this, for bromide of silver is more sensitive than

iodide to coloured light. Access of dust to the film

while moist should also be carefully gvarded against;
 64

tut, when the plates are dry, tins point is of little con-

sequence, as the surface will bear wiping.

The plates when dry may be kept in the way recom-
mended for the gelatinized glassesbut they must, of
;

course, be well protected from light as well as from

damp. The writer has not tested the keeping quality

of tannin plates to any great extent ; but has known
them, prepared with gelatine, to yield excellent results
after being kept from May till October before exposure.

He has kept them for six weeks after exposure before

developing, without observing any deterioration; but

as the experience of others has not always been similar,
until the subject has been more fully investigated it
will be safer to develope as soon as convenient after

exposure. This way of working is always the best, as,

if the exposure has not been properly timed, it enables
us to correct it in future.

When the film is dry, the surface should present

a bright and highly-polished appearance. If the collo-
dion has been made from good pyroxyline, any dullness
seen by reflected light is always the result of some
kind of mismanagement, and is most commonly pro-
duced in one of the following ways First, by adhesion
:

of insoluble salts of silver, from the plates having been

or salt and water, before the
placed in hard water,
nitrate was sufficiently removed by distilled water;

secondly, by the film having been too much dried

before immersion in the niti'ate bath and, thirdly, ;

from the use of over-iodized collodion. In the first

 65

case the precipitated matter will appear in smears

following the direction in which the plate entered

the

hard water, or in which the water first flowed over it ;

or the plate has been slowly immersed, the dull-

if

looking deposit may occur in bars across the plate,

marking the places where the edge of the water paused.
In the second case, the deposit will probably be
confined to the neighbourhood of the two edges which
were upwards when the collodion was poured off, which

edges will look blue and transparent. In the third

case, the loose iodide will be distributed more uniformly
over the plate, without the transparent edges at the

upper end.
In the first case, if the precipitated matter is of

small amount, may be entirely removed, and the

it

plate made practically as good as if no deposit had

been formed on it, by attaching the glass to the
holder, and rubbing the surface with a tuft of clean
dry cotton wool. This should have a handle formed
by binding round a part of tbe wool with string, the
end of which should form a loop, to hang on a nail

in the edge of a shelf or other convenient place. If

kept for this

purpose only may be used for a great
it

length of time. In the second and third cases, the

plate will be improved by removing the loose iodide in
the same manner ; and, in the second case, the picture
will be good on that portion of the film which retains
its opacity, and is not rendered more transparent by
the loss of iodide of silver. In the third case, a good
 66

result cannot be expected, especially \vliea the excess

of iodide is great, and has marked the film by bursting

out irregularly.
In all cases it will be well to brush the surface of
the excited plate lightly with the cotton wool before'

placing it in the slide, to remove any particles of dust

which may be present. If anew and horny collodion
was used, pretty hard rubbing would cause no injury.
 CHAPTER V,
EXPOSURE, DEVELOPMENT, AND FIXIXG.
Ui? to this point there is no risk of failure if the fore-

going directions are carried out wit^i the ordinary

attention to cleanliness necessary in all processes ; and,

except in those matters on which especial stress has

been laid, great latitude of treatment is admissible.
In the exposure and development, however, great care
and experience are required to ensure the best results.
With regard to the time of exposure, much difference
will be found in the sensitiveness of the plates, accord-

ing to the mode of preparation. The principal causes

of insensitiveness have been already given
they are :

the use of a simply iodized collodion, or of an old

sample, or the presence of more acid in the bath or

collodion than is required to keep the pictures bright.
Should two, or all of these unfavourable conditions be

combined, the insensitiveuesswill be very great. The

use of an alkaline, or impure bath, with a nearly or

quite colourless collodion, Avill also produce insensi-

tiveness to half-tones as well as fogging.

The writer has prepared plates by the method given
in the preceding pages more sensitive than those he
can produce by any other dry process with which he
is acquainted, consistently with obtaining vigour and

brightness, and lie believes that this process will be

found to give brilliant and vigorous results, combined
 68

with and good half-tones, with greater

softness

facility and certainty than any other process when

the subject is feebly lighted and if the tannin solu-
;

tion is of suitable strength no difficulty will probably

be found with any kind of subject, especially when

simply bromized collodion is used for such as are

strongly lighted and present great contrast.

Could we always ensure the exact accuracy of the time

of exposure, it would be easy to give a formula for a

developing mixture which would always succeed with

any given kind of subject. In the case of dry plates this

is impossible, as the time of exposure must always be

more or less uncertain, unless, as in the wet process,

each plate be immediately developed, and so the proper

time of exposure be ascertained for the next. In the

ordinary way of working all that can be done is to give

general rules, and to indicate the effects of different

modes of treatment, which, to produce the best results,

must be slightly varied in almost every case. .

The following formula? will be found to produce de-

veloping fluids suitable for this or any other process.*

* For albumen and collodio-albumen
plates it is better par-
tially or entirely to substitute in (2) acetic for citric acid, as the
latter, being a solvent of albumen, is apt to cause blisters.
The acid must be in large enough proportion to prevent
turbidity in the developer, and the solution should he used
direct from the bottle, to avoid loss of acetic acid by evapo-
ration. Silver solution, acidified with a moderate amount of
citric acid,mny, however, be used on collodio-albumen plates,
if they are so prepared as to have but little tendency to
blistering.
 G9

(1.) Pyrogaliic acid 90 grains.

Absolute alcohol 1 ounce.
Pour the alcohol, which should be anhydrous, or at
all events as strong as can be obtained, into a two-
ounce bottle with a good flat rim. If the bottle be
full it will be difficult to pour without waste. Add
the pyrogallic acid, which will dissolve immediately ;

shake up to equalise the strength of the solution, and

add two or three drops of ether. The solution will
scarcely alter in colour in six months, and its use is

much more convenient than constant weighing out.

Treated in this way the pyrogaliic acid will retain its
lull strength, which is not the case when it is dissolved
in water, or even in strong acetic acid. Five minims
of the solution contain one grain of pyrogaliic. If it

is tobe used for wet collodion, measure the required

quantity, dilute to the proper strength, and add the

required quantity of acid.
(2.) Nitrate of silver 10 grains.
Citric acid 10 to 60

according to the strength of the tannin solution, heat

of the weather, nature of the subject, &c.
Distilled water 1 ounce.
Theadvantages gained in the development of dry
plates, by using the acid in the silver instead of in the

pyrogaliic solution, are very great. When the plate

is rather under-exposed, and only a little silver is re-

quired with strong pyrogaliic, the half-tones come out

much better than when, as in the common method, a
 70

largo quantity of acid is present. On the other hand,

when the plate is over-exposed, a large amount of
acidified silver can he used with a small quantity of

pyrcgallic without causing turbidity in the liquid, or

throwing down any loose irregular deposit likely to

injure the details of the picture. This acid solution
of silver will be found exceedingly useful to add to
the developer in the wet process, when, from the
nature of the collodion or the feebleness of the light,
the image comes out perfect in detail but of insuffi-
cient intensity; or it may be used with pyrogallic to

intensify negatives developed with iron.

If, as is the usual practice, plain nitrate solution be
added to the developer unless the amount of acid has
been unnecessarily large for the first stage of develop-
ment the least addition of the nitrate causes imme-
diate turbidity, and a muddy deposit falls at every part of
the film : not only so, but the silver is thrown down
on the image in a coarse granular state, requiring a

considerable thickness of deposit to produce sufficient

density to light, and destroying all delicacy of detail.

When plain nitrate is added to a developer, there will

always be some risk of using it in too great quantity

for the acid present, and then the effect will be seen in

the well known chalkiness of the high lights of the

positive: the image will, in fact, be built up on the

film ;
a state of things which should never be tolerated.
No such effects follow the addition of nitrate of silver

accompanied by a sufficient proportion of acid.

 The development of plates prepared with tannin may
be made about as rapid as in the wet process by

using a strong developer at once but this mode of

;

proceeding not advisable in the case of negatives, as

is

it determines the character of the picture so rapidly

that if much over or under exposed it will be entirely

spoiled. In all cases this treatment prevents the

attainment of the best possible results, except by acci-
dent. The following method of development will bo
found preferable, and, if conducted with care and skill,

will allow of great latitude in the time of exposure :

Dilute and filter in the following manner only as

much of (1) as is likely to be required immediately, for

the diluted solution will soon begin to shew decom-

position by its colour, and will then have less power to

bring out feeble impressions of light. Measure ten
minims of (1), pour on a filter in a small gutta-percha

funnel, and wash out the measure with one drachm of

distilled water which is also to be poured on the filter;

or the solution be dropped on the
may filter from the

bottle, holding the stopper against the lip to prevent

the liquid from creeping down the outside.

Pyrogallic solution should always be filtered, especi-

ally when used soon after being made or diluted ;

otherwise any particles of insoluble matter in the solu-

tion,however small, if of a porous nature, will cause

" comets " on the
negative from being more strongly
imbued with pyrogallic acid than the fluid which sur-
rounds them.
 72

Pour a few drachms of (3) into another filter of the-

same kind, which, with a glass measure, should be

kept ready for the purpose. The above-mentioned

funnels and glass measures, excepting the one used
in developing, never need be washed nor the papers

changed until they filter too sknvly.* These filterings-

may be conveniently managed as follows: Cut a
square piece of thin board, such as a piece of a cigar
box, a little larger than the top of the glass measure :

make a hole in the middle, of such size that the nose of

the funnel will go through about an inch, or more,

according to the size of the funnel, and push in with

sufficient force to make the wood adhere firmly. The
funnel can now be lifted with its support from one
measure to another; and, should it be required to move
the glass while filtering, a finger placed on the wood will

keep the funnel in its place. When silver is to be

added to the developer lift the funnel, pour a little of
the solution into it, and hold over the developing glass,
counting the drops to regulate the quantity added.
The fluid having been before filtered through will
ensure its being clean.
A still easier way of adding the silver is to place the

funnel in a retort holder, the nose being an inch or

so above the top of a glass measure. When any of

* The measure and filter used for the pyrogallic solution,

should they have hecome dry, may be rinsed by pouring a little
water into the filter after it has run through it can be used to-
;

wash through the pyrogallic.

 73

the solution is required, with the right hand pour from

the glass a little which has been filtered into the funnel,
and hold the developing glass under with the left till
the required quantity has dropped, when the other glass
takes its place again. This is as easy a way as any of

adding small quantities of silver ; but, if preferred, the

solutionmay be dropped direct from the bottle. In
the absence of a retort stand, a piece of thin board

having a hole to receive the funnel will do as well, if

laidon a box of the right height, with something of
sufficient weight on it to keep it in its place.

If there is no previous coating on the glass, and

sometimes when India-rubber has been used, the edges
of the film may become detached during development,

washing, although the plate may have been

fixing, or

properly ground. Should this be, the case, before

moistening paint round the edges with solution of
India-rubber. For this purpose dissolve some India-
rubber (not vulcanised) in about an ounce and a half
of a mixture of benzole and chloroform in a two-ounce

phial ;
the exact proportions are of no consequence

provided there is enough India-rubber to make the

solution sufficiently thick to prevent splashing; un-
dissolved India-rubber in a gelatinous state will cause
no inconvenience though -the liquid be filled with it ;

the longer this solution is kept the thicker and better

will it become; ordinary India-rubber cement diluted
with benzole will answer the purpose, and can be very

quickly prepared. Bore a hole vertically through the

cork and insert firmly a small cylindrical piece of wood,

nearly as long as the height of the phial tie a small ;

camel's hair brush to the wood in such a position that

the end of the latter projects half-an-inch or so beyond
the point of the brush, and always keep in the bottle
when not in use that it
may remain soft. Take up a
plate on a pneumatic holder and draw the brush round,
the wood acting as a guide against the edge of the

glass, so as to cover only a strip about an eighth of an

inch in width. The India-rubber will become suf-

ficiently dry in about a minute.

This plan is no easier than coating the glasses with

gelatine, but is sometimes convenient when it is wished

to prepare quickly a few plates, and none which have
been gelatinized are at The edging of India-
hand.
rubber prevent spilling the liquid or staining the
will

fingers during development if the tannin is used in

:

very weak solution, however, or is washed off, paint-

ing the edges of the glass with gelatine before pouring

the collodion is a better plan (page 34).
The use of diluted alcohol* instead of water to
moisten the plate for development is a very great im-

provement in several ways; it

prevents the expansion
and consequent wrinkling and loosening of the film to
so great an extent that it is generally easy to work in
this way without any previous coating, if the film of
* The writer is indebted to a correspondent of the Photo-
graphic News for a knowledge of the fact that alcohol mixed
with the water used to moisten will prevent expansion and
loosening of the film.
collodion is not very thick. When gelatine is used this
mode of treatment enables us to work with a thinner
solution, which is more easily applied, and less likely to

permeate the collodion injuriously: it makes the feeble

adhesion of a thin coat of India-rubber usually suf-

ficient; but by far the most important advantage is

this: the alcohol by its

superior penetrating power
will restore theporous condition of the film when a
very weak solution of tannin has been used, and even
when the tannin has been washed off immediately after
being applied ; whereas, if the plate is moistened with

water alone, the mechanical effect of a much larger

amount of tannin is required, or the development wilt
be very feeble; the chemical effect is then so great

that, when the collodion contains iodide, it

frequently
renders the plate incapable of producing the best

quality of negative with the kind of subject for which

dry plates are most frequently used landscapes with
sky and dark objects.
Fill a phial with equal parts of alcohol of ordinary

strength and distilled water, and whilst the solutions

are filtering take a plate which
is to be developed on a

pneumatic holder, or place it on a levelling-staud, and

pour the diluted alcohol over it in the same manner as

collodion, returning to the bottle: the liquid may be

used again indefinitely if filled up as fast as it wastes
with fresh alcohol and water. A deposit will be formed
at the bottom, but in this way will not be disturbed.

Lay the plate on a levelling-stand and pour a little dis-

 76

tilled water on arid off a few times until it will flow

freely over the plate:- this may be very easily done

when three plates are to be developed at the same
time, by pouring cautiously on the first plate a suffi-

cient quantity of water to cover the three : the alcohol

resists the spread of the water, which, however, by
its weight, will soon force its way to the edges, when it

is to be poured and on to the other plates in suc-

off,

cession; each plate should be treated in this way a few

times with the same water; by using this for the de-

velopment we secure the presence of alcohol, which is

of some importance, especially when no preliminary

coating has been used, in preventing expansion and

loosening of the film, which might otherwise take place
during development. The presence or absence of the
tannin is of no consequence it only makes a slight
;

difference in the colour of the negative.

When the water flows freely, mix with it, for a

stereoscopic plate, if the nature of the exposure is

quite unknown, a quarter of a drachm of the filtered

pyrogallic, and one drop of the acid silver ;f if it is

* which are handled,

It is desirable to keep dry the corners
but prevent the alcohol from covering them ; if
it is difficult to

care is taken at first, however, while pouring on and off the

water, to keep the finger and thumb under the corners so as not
to touch the liquid, they will soon become dry.
f With some kinds of collodion the development may be
started with pyrogallic alone; but with others, which have but
little organic reaction, nothing can be brought out in this way.

In some cases the pyrogallic seems actually to weaken tho

invisible impression, making the image, when brought out by
known that the exposure has been barely sufficient,
much more pyrogallic should be used in this case the ;

filtered solution might be made stronger.

Pour the mixture on the right-hand end of the

plate, and incline the latter so as to drive off all

the moisture before the developer into the glass. The

same method of pouring must be repeated after every

addition of pyrogallic or silver, to avoid producing

unequal intensity. Pour on again at the other end of

the plate, and repeat the pouring on and off several

times, "watching as the image appears. If any part

come out more slowly than the rest from imperfect
mixture of the developer with the liquid previously on
the plate, pour afresh over that place two or three

times, that the -whole may start nearly simultaneously.

If nothing, or only the sky, appears in a few seconds,

add quickly more pyrogallic. The image, as seen by
reflected light, should come out nearly simultaneously
in all its details ; should this not be the case keep on

the addition of silver, to appear less exposed than if the de-

veloper had contained a little silver from the first; when the pyro-
gallic is applied alone at first, however, the mixed developer
usually keeps very clean. When a plate is under-exposed, a
slight advantage may be gained by using the first portion of
silver in the developer without acid : only a very slight trace
can be used in this way. For this purpose, a drop or two of a
ten-grain solution of nitrate may be diluted with half-an-ounce
of distilled water, and a drop or two of this dilute solution
mixed with the pyrogallic for a stereoscopic plate before apply-
ing for the first time to the film ; the writer has not tested this
plan sufficiently to be able to recommend it with confidence.
 7S

pouring on and off, and adding pyrogallic till the image

is visible in nearly every part ;

if the details come out

slowly, the developer may be left on the plate for some

time then examine carefully by transmitted light
; ;

according to the appearance presented more pyrogallic,

or pyrogallic and acid silver, or acid silver alone may
be added ; when sufficient detail appears in the shadows,

acid silver should be added until the proper intensity is

obtained.

If, on the first application of the developer, the image

appears quickly and is full of detail, but wanting iu
contrast, the ground coming out as quickly and nearly
or quite as intense as the sky, add immediately more
acid silver.
For a third case the film, from great over-exposure,

may begin immediately to redden all over, showing

the image but faintly if so, pour away the developer
:

and replace with a few drops of acid silver diluted

with water. In such a case the small trace of pyro-

gallic left on the film will be quite sufficient to com-

plete the development, when silver enough has been
added.
Care must be taken that pyrogallic is not added too-
an under-exposed plate,
slowly, or silver too quickly, to
and that silver is not added too slowly when a plate is
over-exposed, or the character of the picture will be
established so as not to admit of correction. Every-
thing depends on starting the early stage of the develop-
ment ri"ht.
 79

If at any stage of the development too much of either

solution has been inadvertently used, the developer
must he instantly poured away and replaced hy a fresh
mixture made in the correct proportions. In all cases
if the detail is fully out, but the
image wanting in
density, acid silver alone may he added.
The developer first used will sometimes become tur-
bid, especially when strong pyrogallic has been neces-

sarily applied with very little silver, previously to the

appearance of the image. Should this be the case

reject the developer ;

a fresh quantity mixed in the pro-

per proportions will be pretty sure to go right without

the precaution of washing the plate and developing

glass. The fluid will always become more and more

dark coloured with each fresh addition of silver, probably
until it is as dark as port wine; but it ought to remain
all the while bright and clear.
This mode of developing admits of either or both
solutions being dropped into the empty glass while
the developer on the plate, and the latter may then
is

be poured in without any bad effect. If three plates

are developed at the same time, in case they should

require different treatment, two extra clean measures

should be ready, so that each plate may, if necessary,
have a separate developer. The method of develop-
ment above described is purposely made slow at

first ;
but as soon as the kind of developer required
is indicated, it may be finished more rapidly, by

strengthening with such proportions of the solutions

 80

as experience shows to be needed in any particular

case.*
The only difficulty which the writer at first expe-

rienced with tannin has been already alluded to, viz.,

that of blurring, or encroachment of the sky or highest

lights on the more transparent parts of the negative

as a halo of red colour by transmitted light. This,
when it once appears, prevents all half-tone from coming
out in the parts affected, farther pushing of the de-

velopment only rendering the halo darker and more

opaque. This cause of failure depends greatly on the
development, and is much less affected by the state of
the bath or collodion ; it does not usually appear in the
earliest stage of development, and is most commonly
produced in intensifying. After every thing but the

right one had been tried, it was found that this annoy-
ance could usually be prevented, even where there had
been great over-action of light, by very simple means
that of using more acid in the silver developing solution.
This precaution is, however, not always sufficient with
bromo-iodized collodion, when strong solution of tannin
has been applied, as it is still sometimes difficult to

avoid the fault in question in landscape subjects, with-

out at the same time losing some of the detail in the
shadows ; the use of a weak solution of tannin is an

* When the proportion of silver is very small, the developer

may be left at rest on the plate for a long time ; but, when much
silver is present, this treatment will cause mottled markings to
appear, if such exist~in the texture of the collodion film.
 81

improvement in such cases, but the best plan is to use

bromized collodion.
Xo one proportion of acid can be given as suitable in
all cases but for subjects which contain but little con-
;

trast, when strong solution of tannin has been used, the

following rule will be found to be practically sufficient :

The minimum quantity of citric acid used with each

grain of nitrate of silver should be about one grain
of acid for every ten grains of tannin contained in one

ounce of its solution. For landscape subjects four

grains of citric acid to each grain of nitrate seems on
the whole about the best proportion for collodion con-

taining iodide,if only one solution of silver is used it ;

should be present in small quantity at first, otherwise

a longer exposure will be necessary. The proportion
of acid may he varied according to circumstances : more
is required in hot than in cold weather ; more on an
over-exposed than on an under-exposed plate ; more in

the later stages than at the commencement of develop

merit more with bromo-iodized than with bromized
;

collodion : the best guide is the appearance of the

finished negative. The slightest trace of the above-
described blurring, if the plate has been otherwise

properly treated, a proof that not nearly enough

is

acid has been used.* Again, on looking along the

* If both gallic and pyrogallic acids have been used on a,
plate prepared with strong solution of tannin, the subject con-
taining much contrast, this fault will appear though the silver
solution may be sufficiently acid to have produced a good result
under the same circumstances with pyrogallic alone.
r
 82

surface when dry, at a smn.ll angle towards the light,

the whole should be as bright as glass ;
and dullness
on the transparent parts least affected by light, if at
all marked, is another indication of the same fault in
the developer, except in the case of an under-exposed

negative much pushed in development with strong

pyrogallic and little silver: in this case we may
expect a slight deposit on the transparent parts, even
though a sufficient proportion of acid may have been
used. It will be found convenient to keep ready several
bottles containing silver solution of different degrees of

acidity, from one and a-half or two grains to four or

more grains of citric acid to the grain of silver. The

development may be just started with a very small
quantity of the least acid solution, and then continued
and completed with a more acid solution. Great care
must, however, he taken not to use too much of the less
acid solution on bromo-iodized collodion, nor to carry

its action too far, or blurring may be caused.

Each bottle should have its own filter and glass
measure. The acid silver solution appears to keep

well: a horny, semi-transparent substance is some-

times formed in the liquid, but the action which pro-
duces this effect does not seem to alter
perceptibly
the quality of the solution. In determining the pro-
to be used, it should be borne in miiul
portion of acid
that too much is far less injurious than too little.

The use of a large proportion of acid from the first

need not have much effect in preventing the half-tones

 83

coming out ; for, if the proportion of silver in the de-

veloper be kept very low till these appear, much less

acid is present at this stage,even with a very acid

solution, than in the old method. The only injurious
effect of an unnecessarily large proportion of acid
will be a slightly colder tone of colour, which is of no

consequence in a negative.

The power of regulating the result by the above

mode of developing is so great that, when assisted by
the peculiar properties of tannin, it enables us to pro-
duce a good picture with almost any collodion.
If formic acid is substituted for citric acid i-n the

early stage of development, the details may be brought

out and a soft picture produced after a shorter ex-

posure, but the amount of advantage gained in this way

has not yet been accurately determined. One part of
pure formic acid of the strength sold retail at four-

pence per ounce, may be mixed with from one to six

solution of nitrate of
parts of a twenty-grain silver.

The mixture may be made in small quantity im-

mediately before being used, but it has been found to
work well after being kept in a bottle for some weeks
.in the dark-room, although a slight deposit which ad-
hered to the sides of the bottle was formed iu a few-

hours. Formic acid keeps the image and the de-

veloper clear very effectively, and, if used in larger pro-

portion than necessary, it does not prevent the fainter
impressions of light from coming out to the same ex-
tent as would citric acid under the same circumstances.
 84

Nitrate of silver solution, acidified with formic acid,

works well without filtering, even after being loug kept ;

it does not, however, produce intensity so readily as

the citric acid and nitrate of silver solution it will, ;

therefore, he advisable to add a little of the latter to

the developer to finish with.
It has recently been discovered that ammonia may
"beused as a developing agent with dry plates. The
writer, on reading an account of fuming tannin plates
with ammonia in America, was led to investigate the

subject. As it seemed probable that the developing

effect was produced by some action on the tannin, the
first thing done was to try the effect of ammonia on
pyrogallic acid, which, being a much more unstable
substance, was expected to act more strongly. This
expectation was fully borne out by experiment the ;

mixture of a very small proportion of ammonia with

pyrogallic solution produced no immediately visible

effect, but after a short time the liquid began to dis-
colour in the same way as if nitrate of silver and an
acid had been mixed with immediately on being
it. If,

mixed, the liquid was poured on an exposed plate, a

powerful developing action was set up, and when the,
necessary conditions had been found, it worked with
great certainty. Further experiments showed that
tannin, when mixed with ammonia, would act as a de-

veloper, but with less energy than pyrogallic, and that

it therefore required a longer exposure. Gallic acid

used in the same way appears to be intermediate in its

effect between tannin and pyrogallic acid.

 85

Fuming with ammonia has been tried. The effect

with the tannin greater than when the ammonia is

is

applied in a liquid state, hut still inferior to that with

pyrogallic, for when the latter is added to the liquid

xised for moistening after the fuming, and poured on,

the plate, much more detail is brought out, and the re-
sult will then be much the same as if the ammonia had
firstbeen applied in liquid. The fuming does not seem,
to be so good a plan as the wet method, as it is more

troublesome and uncertain, for in this way it is not easy

to obtain exactly the right amount of the action of am-
monia, and any great excess of this is injurious; if, on
the other hand, the action is insufficient,
very little

effect willbe produced unless ammonia is afterwards

applied with the pyrogallic the tendency to loosen the

:

iilm appears to be about the same with both methods.

Commercial carbonate of ammonia answers better as

ii
developing agent than solution of ammonia, for, when
the best proportion of each is used, it brings out the

impression after an equally short exposure, with

greater intensity, and keeps the picture rather brighter.
If carbonate of ammonia is used, it may be kept in
solution of any convenient strength; if solution of am-
monia is used, one drop of the strongest usually sold

may be mixed with one ounce of distilled water : for

use about the best proportion appears to be one grain

to one grain and a-half of the carbonate, or three-quar-
ters of a drachm to one drachm of the diluted solution
of ammonia, and one grain of pyrogallic in from two
 86

drachms to one ounce of the mixed developer: the-

strength of the developer within these limits will make

Lut little difference, except that the stronger it is thf

quicker will be its action ;

if too strong, the trans-

parent parts of the negative may be just perceptibly

veiled: the more diluted the developer, on the other

hand, the brighter will be the picture.

The plates may be moistened with diluted alcohol,.

in the manner already described for the acid silver de-

velopment, and when the distilled water will flow freely

it is to be poured off, and mixed with the carbonate of

ammonia in solution, and then poured on and off the

plate a few times. If the alcohol and water has ac-

quired much tannin from use, this mixture Avill make a

very good developer, and will bring out all the details,
ifa sufficiently long exposure has been given; if not,

pour off the liquid, add the pyrogallic and mix well,
and return to the plate; the
image will immediately
show more detail and darken considerably, the image
brought out by the tannin being paler and redder than
that produced by the pyrogallic.
The following method of commencing the develop-
ment is, perhaps, on the whole better, certainly easier,
but involves the expenditure of more alcohol: Dis-
solve six grains of carbonate of ammonia in two
ounces and a-half of distilled water and one ounce and
a-half of alcohol, s.
g. about -830 (1); this liquid may
be kept ready mixed in a bottle. Dilute five minims
of the alcoholic solution of pyrogallic (page 09) to two
drachms, with the same proportions of alcohol and
water as iu the carbonate of ammonia solution (2).
Measure out as much of (1) as will cover the plate

(two drachms will be amply sufficient, if of stereoscopic

bize), and one-fourth the quantity of (2). Pour (1)
over the dry plate on a le veiling-stand ;
it will flow

freely, but still more so if a larger proportion of alcohol

is used'. Pour on and off two or three times, and
watch the effect ;
if the tannin has been applied in
weak solution, and especially if it has been washed off

again, there will not be much developing action, but if

the exposure has been sufficient there will usually be

enough to give an indication as to the kind of treatment

likely to be required. Next pour off and mix with (2),

pour on again immediately, at the far side of the plate,

carrying the measure along from end to end, with the
foot turned from the plate, to prevent the possibility of

dirty liquid falling on the film, and tilt the plate

quickly, so as to drive off all remaining moisture before

the mixture into the measure; in this way the de-

velopment will be started evenly all over the plate.

If the solutions of carbonate of ammonia and pyro-

gallicdo not contain about the same proportion of al-

cohol, the mixed liquid will not flow freely. Pour on
and off quickly two or three times, then let the plate
remain at rest, covered with the developer, and care-

fully observe the effect.

When several plates are developed at the same time,
a separate developer should be mixed for each, or the
 88

others will not come out quite so well as the first

poured on. The carbonate of ammonia and pyrogallic

solutions may be mixed
begin with, but no advan-
to

tage seems to be gained in this way, and the develop-

ment is started rather too quickly. If the pyrogallic
is applied alone at first, the image, when afterwards
brought out by the mixed developer, will be feeble.

If the appearance of the image indicates that the ex-

posure has not been too great, the alkaline developer

may be left to act for some time, but if the image
shows symptoms of over-exposure, pour off and wash the

plate quickly in any case when the development with

;

ammonia has been carried far enough, before intensi-

fying with silver, the plate should be washed for several

minutes under a stream of water, and then placed on a

levelling-stand, and left covered with water for a short

time. After this the development may be completed
with pyrogallic and acid silver, the proportions of which
should be regulated by the appearance of the image,

just as if the development had been commenced with

the acid silver developer :
by this means, and by vary-
ing the duration of the action of the alkaline developer,
any error in the exposure can be corrected within cer-

tain limits. If from under-exposure the alkaline de-

veloper fail to bring out sufficient detail, there appears

to be no remedy; changing the developer for a fresh
one of the same kind seems to be quite useless.
The acid development will bring out nothing which
failed to appear before, and therefore very strong pyro-
 89

gallic solution will not be needed; but by using at first

A small quantity of silver solution which does not con-

tain a very large proportion of acid, all the details
faintly brought out by the alkaline developer will be
established. By washing off quickly, and then intensi-
fying -with weak pyrogallic and a large proportion of

acid silver, over-exposure can readily be corrected.

The effect of varying the proportions of tlie pyrogallic
and ammonia, to suit thedevelopment to the exposure,

has been tried, but this plan does not seem to answer
as well as the one just given. For landscapes, four
grains of citric acid to each grain of nitrate will usually
be required to prevent blurring, when the collodion
contains iodide, as the tendency to this fault will be

fully as great as if the development had been com-

menced with silver ; for the same reason the plates
should, in this case, have been prepared with as weak
a solution of tannin as will work vrell.

If the exposure has been sufficient, the image comes

out very quickly on the application of the pyrogallic

and ammonia, and is at first of a more or less red tone?

and has much the same appearance as if silver and

acid had been used the colour of the image soon be-
;

comes darker, the liquid darkening at the same time.

If the plate has been rather under-exposed, the alka-
line developer may be left on for many hours without

producing any deposit or fogging, or the mottled mark-

ings so often brought out under similar circumstances
l>y a developer containing silver : in this way, at last, a
 90

considerable amount of intensity may be obtained, by

a reduction of silver so
complete tbat tbe image will
bear fixing with weak cyanide without being very
per-
ceptibly weakened. The intensity thus produced is of
no practical value with bromo-iodized collodion, as it

may be obtained in a few minutes to any desired extent

by the use of the acid silver developer, and a better re-
sult will be thus obtained. With bromized collodion,
if the exposure has been suitable, the alkaline developer
will oftenproduce sufficient intensity* without causing
any bad effect if left to act for several hours, during
which the plates require no attention.
The character of the picture will be influenced by
the extent to which the alkaline development is carried,
as well as by the proportions of the intensifier. The
sooner the action of the former is
stopped, and the
lai'ger the amount of acid silver in the latter, the

brighter will the image be; the longer the action of the
* In
printing from negatives of low intensity, it is necessary
to use highly-salted paper and some method of toning which
reduces considerably. In all cases the darkest parts must
reach or nearly approach the bronzing stage, or the positive
will be wanting in vigour: with a faint negative, by the time
that the shadows are deep enough, the most opaque parts wilt
be printed through. A toning mixture which has sufficient
bleaching power will clear the lights of the picture without
reducing the shadows too much, and so produce a brilliant
positive from a somewhat weak negative. This is perhaps the
best way of working, for it is much easier to obtain a good

negative of low than of high intensity ;

the gradation of tone
being often injured when intensifying is carried far. No time
is lost in this way, as faint negatives print very quickly.
 91

former, and the smaller the amount of acid silver in

the latter, the softer will be the result, and the more of
the leather-like colour by reflected light will appear.
The tendency of an under-exposed picture is to be too

bright and hard of au over-exposed one, to be too soft,

;

and wanting in brightness and contrast: the mode of

treatment described above is therefore calculated to

produce a good result in both cases.

With the alkaline developer we can obtain good
results after a shorter exposure than would otherwise
be necessary. The ordinary mode of development can
indeed be made to approach that with ammonia in this
respect, by using a strong solution of pyrogallic with
very and acid at first, but the silver de-
little silver

veloper, under these circumstances, sometimes becomes

turbid without any apparent reason, even when man-
aged with great care; the decomposition of the nitrate
may be started by very trifling causes, perhaps by par-
ticles of dust of an alkaline nature settling on the

liquid. The alkaline developer, on the other hand,

works with great certainty, and requires only moderate
care; it is less liable to form spots or comets, and will
not show markings of variable thickness in the film,
which would spoil the picture with the silver developer.
A negative forced, after short exposure, with strong
pyrogallic and little acid and silver, is commonly in-

jured by the formation of a loose deposit, but the

ammonia developer, since it contains no silver in
 02

solution, cannot form much deposit;* and in intensi-

fying, when the imago already brought out, there is

is

less tendency to form a deposit than in commencing

the development with silver, especially as a larger pro-

portion of acid silver may be present than would be

admissible at first in the other case. We can, there-

fore,produce a negative after a short exposure, \vhicli

will combine softness and brightness, better with the

alkaline than with the acid silver developer.

A very small trace of plain nitrate (probably only as
much as can be held in solution in the state of am-

monia-nitrate) can be added to the alkaline developer,

after the details are brought out, without causing tur-

bidity. A picture treated in this way is very soft, of a

neutral tint, but has little
intensity, and is slightly
veiled all over by a deposit like that often formed on an

iron-developed picture, which one produced in this way

much resembles. This method does not seem to have
much practical value, but may possibly be found use-
ful in giving an artificial softness with subjects which
will only admit of a very short exposure.
The principal precautions necessary to ensure success
with the alkaline developer are First, not to use too

large a proportion of ammonia, as this would produce

* For this reason, if the silver salts are in tho film, the

image produced by this developer must be so too, and tho

liquid has not, in itself, the slightest tendency to form stains.
A slight trace of loose deposit is sometimes formed, too slight
lo be of any consequence: it seems difficult to account for this
fact.
 93

too violent an action, bringing out the high lights im-

mediately with great intensity, but only staining the

other parts of a uniform brown colour. More
ammonia should not be added after the mixed de-
veloper has been applied to the plate. Second, to
wash off the ammonia developer thoroughly before in-

tensifying with silver. If the washing is omitted, the

picture will be entirely spoiled, the film being loosened,

and stained by the action of the alkali on the silver in

solution ;
in such a case blisters of an intense black-

nessmay appear all over the plate.

The presence of ammonia in the developer has a ten-

dency to loosen the film ; but with the very small

quantity required this tendency is exceedingly light,

and seldom causes any difficulty in working with or
without a preliminary coating. A thin substratum of

gelatine answers very well, but perhaps the best way

of securing the film for this mode of developing, is to
a thin plain solution of gelatine to the edges only
apply
of the glass, and then to coat the whole with thin

India- rubber and amber solution. In this way the film

will usuallybe kept quite firm on the glass through-

out the whole treatment, especially if the tannin has
been washed off before drying. Should any kind of
collodion be found to give trouble by loosening, the
still

developer may be used weaker, and great care should bo

taken that no trace of acid is present.

Development with ammonia, managed in the manner

described above, is more certain than that with acid
 94

silver, and it involves no extra trouble except that of

wishing the plate before intensifying : it is particularly

suitable for use with bromized collodion. Tannin plates
which have been excited in a pure neutral bath may
sometimes be successfully developed by this method,
even when the collodion was colourless, and contained
no bromine, but the presence of a trace of acid at the
time of exciting is usually desirable. The same way
of working will probably be found to succeed with any

dry plates which are so prepared that no nitrate of sil-

ver, nor much free acid, is left in the film. Collodio-

albumen and gelatine plates develope remarkably well

in this way, after shorter exposure than is required

for the ordinary method.

The effect has been tried of mixing a little ammonia
with the tannin solution immediately before applying
it in the preparation of the plates. In this way, by

neutralizing the acid reaction of the tannin, its loosen-

ing effect in developing with ammonia is prevented,

and at the same time a slight increase of sensitiveness

gained. The ammonia must be used in too small

quantity to make any immediate change of colour iu

the liquid, and some acid must have been present

either in the bath or the collodion. This plan is so
uncertain that it is not recommended. It is difficult to

determine exactly the right proportion of ammonia,

and if too little is used it seems to have no effect on
the sensitiveness, if too much it always causes fogging:
washing off the tannin isa much better way of getting
 95

rid of its acid reaction. Potash, bi- carbonate of soda,

and chalk have beeu tried in .the same way but none ;

of them answered even as well as ammonia, all of them

being apt to cause fogging, and the last two loosening

the film to an unmanageable extent. Potash has also
been tried instead of ammonia for developing with pyro-

gallic, hut if enough was present to produce much

effect, it always caused fogging.

A picture which has been developed with ammonia
until the
image begins to look dark by reflected light,
may be washed and fixed with weak cyanide if the de- ;

velopment has not been carried far, the image wiJl dis-

appear or be but very faintly visible; the plate must

now be thoroughly washed, or stains will appear after-
wards. On redeveloping with pyrogallic and acid silver,
the image will reappear and will become intense very

readily unless the exposure, or the action of the first

;

developer, has been somewhat prolonged, there will be

a loss of half-tone; but, for this very reason, the method
to be useful in
promises copying prints and similar
subjects. The writer has produced in this
way nega-
tives the most brilliant and most entirely free from
all trace of deposit that he has ever seen. The length
of exposure, and the point to which the ammonia de-
velopment is carried, should be regulated according to
the kind of negative required. A long exposure and
long development with ammonia, will preserve the
half-tones and cause the formation of "bloom." If on
the other hand the alkaline development is
stopped too
 soon, the image may fail to
reappear on redeveloping,
especially if the cyanide is strong. Some kinds of
subjects containing great contrast may, with good

management, be very successfully rendered by this

method the exposure should be somewhat prolonged
;

to preserve the half-tones, but the first development

should not be carried too far. This plan involves extra

trouble, and is likely to fail unless worked with skill
and judgment; but it
may prove useful, as the quality
of the results is in some cases better than can easily be
otherwise produced. In this way of working, besides

applying gelatine to the edges of the glass, and cover-

ing the whole surface with India-rubber, it will be well

to protect the gelatine still further from the cyanide by

coating the edges of the film, when dry, with thick

ludia-rubber solution.
The action of the ammonia and pyrogallic is very
interesting in a theoretical point of view, and a close
investigation of the phenomena, simplified by the ab-
sence of nitrate of silver, may probably throw some
light on the nature of the invisible impression, and of
the developing action. From the similarity of the changes
of colour in the liquid and in the image, to those produced

by nitrate of silver with pyrogallic, it would appear pro-

bable that the office of the nitrate in the earliest stage
of ordinary development, is principally, if not entirely,

to decompose the pyrogallic; it has long been known

that pyrogallic, which has been partially decomposed

by being kept in solution, until discoloured, has less

power than a, fresh solution to bring out faint im-

pressions of light, although it has by no means lost its

power of reducing nitrate of silver, and will readily

intensify an image when brought out; in such a case

the first stage of the decomposition, which is always
the most active in bringing out feeble impressions, is

already past.
The result of an experiment made to ascertain the

comparative sensitiveness of pure iodide and bromide

of silver in a dry state, seemed to show that the bro-
mide was affected by light more quickly than the
iodide, and that the former, after being impressed by

light, could cause other combinations of silver in con-

tact with to decompose during development.
it, The
were prepared with excess of nitrate of sil-
silver salts

ver, well washed with pure distilled water, and then

treated successively with chloride of sodium, strong

solution of ammonia, and strong nitric acid, being well

washed after each; they were then spread in a moist

state on glass, dried, and partially covered with a strip

of black paper, that the effect of light might be dis-

tinguished from decomposition by any other cause:

after a very short exposure to dull diffused light,they
were flooded with a mixture of pyrogallic and carbonate
of ammonia in solution.
The bromide, although very quickly impressed by
light, could not be developed beyond a reddish-brown
colour. A mixture of iodide and bromide seemed about
equally sensitive with the bromide, and developed to a
G
 nearly black colour; from the characteristic colour of
the bromide appearing first, it seemed, probable that
this salt of silver was the one impressed by light : the
iodide alone showed no change of colour. When used
in collodion, bromide is not only very sensitive, but

gives considerable intensity \vith the alkaline de-

veloper; the conditions, however, are different in this

case, as a large portion of the bromide is well known
to form a transparent combination with the collodion.
The darkened bromide, and iodide and bromide, were

both immediately restored to their original colour by

nitricacid, but strong solution of cyanide had no
'

effect on the darkened surface.

The fact that the decomposition of pyrogallic by am-
monia has a greater effect on feeble impressions than
that produced by nitrate may be accounted for thus:

When nitrate of silver is used the presence of an acid

is necessary, apparently to prevent the reduction of the
nitrate, and to confine its action, at least for a time, to

decomposing the pyrogallic; this acid, at the same

time, has a restraining effect on the development.
by no means certain that the action of the
It is

alkaline developer depends entirely on the decompo-

sition of the pyrogallic acid by the ammonia, nor is it

known, in what manner the impressed salts of silver

are affected by the two agents the effects which they
;

produce, however, prove that the presence of nitrate of

silver is not a necessary condition of development.

Tannin plates, exposed for a shorter time than usual,

 99

have been successfully developed with iron after

thoroughly washing out the tannin but ;

this plan seems
to be uncertain. As a trace of tannin remaining
would form ink by its action on the iron, this method
does not seem to be very suitable for the process.
Hot water and hot silver developers have been tried,

but the results in the writer's hands were not encourag-

ing. A picture may doubtless be forced out in this way

after short exposure, but it is not very easy to manage
the operation well for several reasons, and fogging is

very likely to be produced ; besides, the image intensi-

fies with
difficulty, and almost entirely superficial,
is

being built up on the film with loose silver nearly the ;

whole picture, except the sky and high lights, may be

removed by drawing the finger across the plate
when dry. This state of things, to say the least, is not
favourable to the attainment of first-rate results. One
difficulty in developing with hot liquids, the
tendency
which they have to remove the film from the glass, may
be avoided by the use of a previous coating of India-
rubber, which adheres even more firmly under a boiling
hot liquid than under a cold one.
It is of great importance to have the developing

glass and glass rod, used to guide the flow of the deve-
loper from the measure to the plate, thoroughly clean
before commencing the development. For this purpose,
make a solution of about twenty grains of any soluble
iodide to the ounce of water, with as much iodine as
vail dissolve. The exact strength is of no consequence,
 100

but the solution should be of a deep port-wine colour.

Keep about a pint of this in a bottle and, after de-;

veloping, fill the glass containing the rod with the liquid,

pour into another glass of the same size, and immerse

the edge or lip to clean it outside and inside, and then
return the solution to the bottle. The glasses may be
now left till required for use, when they are to be rinsed
with water, rubbing with the finger. The entire removal
of any deposit which may be present is of no conse-

quence, as the silver is now converted into iodide in the

inert state, and exercises no greater effect than is pro-
duced by the film itself in the parts unaffected by light.
This liquid is safer to use and more efficacious than
nitric acid or cyanide, since, when the latter are used,

any deposit not entirely removed will still affect the

developer.
The superior energy and penetration of the iodine
solution may be proved by dipping the nose of a

gutta-percha funnel, which from long use with nitrate

solution has become stained with reduced silver, into
nitric acid or cyanide solution. No
very perceptible
effect willbe immediately produced but, if it be dipped
;

into the iodine solution, the deep stains will be quickly

changed to a primrose colour. Stained gutta-percha

trays may with this solution be so effectually purified

in a few minutes, that paper negatives may be developed
in them with the same cleanliness as in a new glass
dish. Care must be taken not to allow the iodine and
iodide to touch a sensitive plate. A trace of the fluid will
 101

do no harm in the glass which receives a mixed silver

developer but the glass measure and rod should, after

;

cleaning with iodine, be well rinsed before being used

to apply any liquid which does not contain nitrate of
silver. The cleaning solution will stain the skin when
undiluted; but
may, nevertheless, be used to remove
it

reduced silver from the fingers, as its application

greatly facilitates the subsequent action of cyanide,

which will then quickly remove both silver and iodine.
A little iodide and iodine should be added to the
solution when its paler colour shows that it has been
weakened by long use.

When the development is complete, wash till all

oily

appearance is removed ; for, if the plates be placed in

hyposulphite with oily markings upon them, these will

be visible to some extent afterwards, in this or any

other collodion process. When gelatine has been

used, the film, being amalgamated beneath with
leather, is so strong that it cannot be injured by a

heavy stream of water even if purposely torn, the

;

water will not penetrate between the film and the glass.

Cyanide may be used for fixing, but as it is more

likely to loosen the film and weaken the image than
is to be preferred in all cases
hyposulphite, the latter
except when
the plate is to be redeveloped after fixing:

cyanide then answers better, as its entire removal by

washing is more easily effected. The strength

of the hyposulphite is of little consequence; but it

need not be great, as the fixing is more easy and

 102

rapid than in the case of many other dry processes.

Strong hyposulphite will not, however, produce much

effect upon the intensity of the negative, if the collodion
he of such a nature as to keep the image in the film and
not on the surface.
In this, as in most other dry processes, the film will

sometimes hecome slightly loosened in the final wash-

ing. When the glass has been coated with gelatine

this is more likely to occur with an old and powdery
collodion than with, a newer and less porous sample.
Slight loosening at this stage seldom affects the nega-
tive, as the collodion will adhere to the glass again in

drying, but it is better to prevent this fault if possible.

The similarity of the appearance of the film thus

affected to that produced by immersing a collodio-albu-
men plate in a strongly alkaline liquid, led the writer
to suppose that this effect was often due to a solvent

action of the hyposulphite on the collodion. This

appears to be the case ; the loosening most frequently

appears on dry plates, when the hyposulphite solu-

tion is new and strong, and often with wet collodion.

The fault in question can usually be prevented or

much diminished in the following manner : Mix an

ounce or tw o of plain collodion (the thick residue at
r

the bottom of a bottle will do as well as any) with a

pint of strong hyposulphite solution in a large glass

beaker or common jam pot; immerse in a saucepan of
hot water and boil on the fire, stirring with a stick
until the ether and alcohol are driven off, and the
 103

collodion sinks in a flocculent state without cohesion:

if boiled without stirring it forms a hard crust on the
surface. The solution is to be poured when cold into
a bottle after well stirring up. The flocculent deposit
will fall to the bottom and leave the liquid clear : there
can now be no solvent action on a collodion film.- If

the portion used is

always returned to the bottle, a
small quantity will last a long time. Should any

loosening occur notwithstanding this precaution, it

be well, in the case of a good negative, to finish the

will

washing by covering the plate with distilled water for

some time on a levelling stand, to remove as far as

possible any soluble matter under the film, otherwise

such matter may show slightly when dry. After being

washed, the plates are to be set up to dry on blotting-

paper.
If the right exposure, within the necessary limits,
has been given, and the development properly ma :

naged, either with acid silver or ammonia and pyro-

gallic, the finished negative will have the general
character of a collodion picture, and will resemble a good
one taken by the wet process but the definition, as in
;

the albumen process, may be expected to be more perfect

from the impression being taken on a smooth and

polished surface instead of on an expanded and spongy

substance with a somewhat irregular surface, which

*
Hyposulphite prepared in this way has been used for a long
time apparently with good effect; hut the advantage gained has
not been accurately tested by comparative experiments.
 104

is afterwards contracted and rendered smooth by dry-

ing. The greater part of the film will appear by

reflected light of a yellowish-brown colour except
the sky and high lights, which will be dark, and
the deepest shadows, which will be transparent,
and appear black when a dark object is
will

held behind the plate. In ordinary subjects, how-

ever, this transparent appearance should be confined
to a few touches. On looking through the plate the
picture will be bright and vigorous, but soft and full
of half-tone; and should the sky or high lights be

solarized, they will be of a deep purplish red, which

stops light in printing much better than the pale

solarization often
produced in other processes. The
parts which appear quite black and opaque when
examined by diffused light, will be found to be really
translucent when placed close to the flame of a candle
or lamp. The blackest parts, when looked through in
this way, will resemble very dark, transparent stains

in the glass, without a trace of granulation, and

showing all the detail. The kind of negative described

above can only be produced by the wet process when
the collodion and bath are in good order; but plates

prepared with tannin, being much less dependent on

the state of the collodion, will give results of the above
kind with greater certainty.*

* The details in the shadows of a tannin negative should all

be faintly visible, even from under-exposure, they cannot be
if,

made intense enough to print.

 105

No other process can well be less liable to fogging or

stains than this one, the former never appearing unless

the bath be alkaline or impure, or neutral with a

colourless collodion, or the light has got access to the

plate, or too much ammonia has been used in the

alkaline development ; while the latter, if the nitrate
be entirely removed, * y can scarcely be produced by any
treatment short of splashing impurities on the film, or

beginning the development with a dirty measure, or

mixing the alkaline and acid silver developers on the
plate.
If any loose deposit appear on the surface of the

film it may be removed, when quite dry, with a brush

made down, which is much less liable to injure
of eider

the surface than cotton wool or the softest hair brush.

Eider down is often to be found in coats, quilts, &c.,
which are lined or filled with it. To make a brush

pick out the largest pieces singly, find in each the

small quill by which it was attached to the skin, collect
five or six, and form into a small brush by bringing

the quills together and twisting this end round be-

* When a very slight trace of nitrate has been left in the

film, stains sometimes appear on development, in the form of

fine lines, generally parallel to and near the edges of the glass,

leading to the corner on which the plate was drained after

applying the tannin. "When it is suspected that the washing
has not heen continued long enough, the most likely way of
preventing stains will be to avoid pouring tannin solution a
second time on the plate, rejecting it after once passing over
the film.
 100

tween the finger and thumb with a little solution of

caoutchouc in turpentine, or other cement. Make a

sufficient number of these small brushes to form a
round ball of down about the size of a walnut. Bring
the cemented ends together and insert in a fowl's quill,
which has been cut off near the end and split in two or
three places; then bind the quill round firmly with
waxed thread. This brush ought not to be often

required to remove loose deposit, but is always useful

to clear off dust before varnishing, and if applied lightly

will do no injury.
A small bag of fine velvet made to fit the end of the

finger answers well for removing deposit, but is not so

good forbrushing off loose dust as the eider down.

Perhaps the best thing for cleaning off deposit is a

thick piece of German tinder, chosen for having a very

soft [smooth surface should be wiped repeatedly,
; it

while being used, on a piece of woollen cloth, to free it

from the matter which it removes from the plate.
The film, if on gelatine, will never crack or split off
in drying, unless it has been fixed with
cyanide, which
has been known to produce this effect. Under any
circumstances, splitting off after development and fix-

ing appears to be very rare in this process, but should

any kind of collodion or treatment be found to give

rise to theannoyance in this or any other process, it is

a good precaution to pour over the film some solution
of gelatine or albumen after fixing and washing but
before drying.
 107

Before varnishing, dry the plates well by artificial

heat, and varnish when sufficiently cooled. In most

cases the cracking of varnished negatives is caused by
their being varnished while damp. After varnishing,

keep the plates at a higher temperature than the sun

can ever cause, until the varnish ceases to be soft and

sticky at that heat, to prevent their adhering to the

paper in printing.
 CHAPTEE VI,
ON PRINTING TRANSPARENCIES.
DEY plates prepared with tannin give very good re-
sults when used for printing transparent positives by
superposition. The action of the tannin and pyro-
gallic acid tends to produce a deep red colour, and the
citric acid to give a blue tone ; hence, by varying the
proportion of the latter, we can produce at will a great

variety of tints between a nearly pure neutral and

various shades of purple one of the most pleasing is
;

difficult to describe, it is something like sepia, very

warm and bright.
Gallic acid, if used for developing, gives a green
colour, therefore if a, brown tone be desired it can be

produced by using first gallic acid and then pyro-

gallic: this, however, can only be done successfully
when the tannin has been used in weak solution, not
more than ten grains to the ounce, and when the
negative is of rather low intensity; otherwise blurring
will be produced round the dark parts of the positive,

(see note, page 81).

Plates prepared as described in the preceding pages,
will be found too sensitive to use in this way with
direct daylight of ordinary power, unless the negative
 109

israther intense. Plates so prepared may, however, be

used for printing with faint negatives by ordinary day-

light, if exposed horizontally on a table in a room

which has a north aspect, care being taken to intercept
the direct light from the window before uncovering the

negative. Old collodion answers better than new in a

strong light, from its giving a less sensitive film ; but

it is more from pressure against the
liable to injury

negative, being comparatively soft and porous. It may

be improved in this respect by the addition of benzole,
the first effect of which is to precipitate the pyroxyline

in a gelatinous state; this deposit is re-dissolved by

shaking. About ten drops to the ounce may be used,

or as much as
the collodion will bear without becoming
too impermeable ; a large quantity would make it repel

water like gutta-percha. A few slices of India-rubber

may be kept in the bottle: collodion treated in this

way will usually work well without any preliminary
coating.
The plates may be prepared with tannin solution of

any strength as may be found desirable, up to thirty

grains to the ounce, which, if dried on a horny col-

lodion, makes a very hard film, little liable to injury

in printing, and gives very vigorous and richly-toned

positives. About four grains of citric acid must, in

this case, be used for development with each grain of
silver, or the tone will be too red, and there will be

danger of blurring, especially if the negative be in-

tense. Acetic acid may be partially substituted for
 110

citric acid to produce a slight difference of colour.

The proportions of acid and silver in the developer
should be sufficiently large to prevent redness in the
dark parts of the positive, and must be regulated

according to the intensity of the negative when this ;

is great, as much as ten or twelve drops of solution,

containing forty grains of citric acid and ten grains of

nitrate to the ounce, may be required with each drop

of the alcoholic pyrogallic solution; long enough ex-

posure should be given to enable the half-tones to

come out with this treatment.
It will be found difficult to obtain good results with

certainty when daylight is used for printing, on

account of the variation of light. By developing in the

manner recommended for negatives, we can indeed

correct the effects of under or over-exposure within
certain limits ; but it is scarcely worth while to take

this trouble, especially as the shade of colour will vary

with the kind of developer required to suit the ex-

posure. An over-exposed picture, for instance, which

requires to be developed with acid silver, and only a

small trace of pyrogallic, though good in other respects,

would be of too cold and inky a tone. The best way
of working is to find, by experiment, a time of expo-
sure and proportion of developing fluids which pro-
duce, in the case of each negative, the intensity and
colour desired, and then to use the developer of full

strength at once :
by this means the development will

be made very rapid ; and, if an uniform artificial light

 Ill

lie used at a measured distance, the best results will

be obtained with great certainty. Plates prepared as
described for negatives are, from their sensitiveness,
well adapted for printing by artificial light.
Tannin plates need no toning with gold, and not

only have the advantage of producing very beautiful

colours, but they admit of use with much more intense

negatives than would be suitable in the case of other

dry processes. A
negative so intense as to give solari-
zation, with hard, wiry edges in the general way, will,
if used to print on tannin plates, produce soft pictures,

in which the only defect will be too red a tone in the

dark parts. This redness may be neutralized by more
acid in the developer, and the result will then be good,

except that the lighter parts will be somewhat cold in

tint. Judicious management of the exposure and

development will so control and balance this difference

of colour, that the effect will not be unpleasant in

many subjects. To obtain absolute uniformity of

colour in the light and dark parts with the acid silver

developer, it will, however, be necessary to use a

negative of rather low intensity.
Ammonia and pyrogallic may be used for developing
transparent positives, and this plan answers particu-

larly well when the negative is intense, if the film is

cleared with cyanide before redeveloping, as already
described. The exposure must be long enough to
prevent loss of half-tone a very good colour is pro-
:

duced in this way, and even with negatives intense

 119

enough to print well on paper, great uniformity of tint

can be obtained, and all redness in the shadows

avoided.
The tannin process, from its admitting of the use of
a collodion which is less liable to injury, -will produce
negatives better adapted for printing transparencies
than those obtained by other dry collodion processes :

they are also somewhat more durable than wet collo-

dion negatives when gelatine has been used, the gela-
tine giving greater strength to the film below, and
better adhesion to the glass ; nevertheless, the surface
is not so hard that it can be used unprotected, like
albumen, and it therefore requires to be defended by
varnish of some kind.
 CHAPTER VII.
REMARKS OX DRY PROCESSES.
A FEW remarks may here bo made on the merits and
demerits of some of the best known dry processes.
Collodion plates merely excited, washed, and dried,
will only succeed when the collodion or bath is in a
particular state. The addition of resin to the collo-
dion is an improvement, but will answer only with
some kinds of collodion. In both cases the develop-
ment is commonly feeble and unsatisfactory : an over-
iodized collodion which produces a film the surface of
which is composed almost entirely of iodide of silver,

is commonly recommended for the resin process, but

is for many reasons objectionable. Resinized collodion,
however, as before stated, works well when a weak
solution of tannin has been applied. The comparative
merits of resin and tannin may be easily tested by a

simple experiment. Prepare four plates with any or-

dinary collodion, No. 1 and No. 3 without resin, Nos. 2

and 4 after its addition ; when the nitrate has been
removed by washing, set up to dry Nos. 1 and 2, coat
Nos. 3 and 4 with a two-grain solution of tannin, which

may be washed off again, and set up to dry also : ex-

pose in a uniform light, and use the same developer

with all four,

n
 114

The gelatine and metagelatino processes are simple,

tlevelope with great cleanness, and can be made to give

good results. The great objection to them is their

strong tendency to blistering ;

this renders it difficult

to prepare a collodion -which will adhere sufficiently to

the glass, will produce a uniform film free from
mottled markings, and, at the same time, will give a
tolerable degree of sensitiveness. Different propor-

tions of ether and alcohol in the same collodion will

produce blistering or mottling; and the latitude in this

respect is so small that the same plate, if large, will
sometimes produce blisters at the upper part from too
much ether, and mottling at the lower corner from too
little. Even if, by a method to be presently described,
sufficient adhesion be secured to admit of the use of a

sensitive collodion, the development is usually slow,

and less range of tone is obtained 'than when the film

is coated with tannin. If the collodion is of such a

nature as to give great sensitiveness when covered with

is not easily produced if
gelatine, sufficient intensity ;

forced with silver the image is apt to he too uniform in.

tone, the half-tints being nearly as dark as the high

lights. A way will be described in which this evil can

be avoided by the use of both tannin and gelatine.
The collodio-albumen process will produce excellent
results, with some degree of certainty but involves ;

great trouble, and is liable to the same objections

as the gelatine process, though in a fur less degree.
Sensitiveness is much less affected by the use of a
 115

powdery collodion, and mottling of the film is not so

apt to show in the picture, especially if thick albumen

be used. Even in this process, however, a little too

iiiuch ether added to the collodion to prevent mott-

ling, after evaporation by use, will sometimes cause

blisters to appear when everything worked well pre-
viously. One of the greatest objections to the process
isthe difficulty of producing anything like a perfect

coating of albumen, from the formation of gelatinous

lumps and filaments in the liquid immediately after
filtration. The difficulty of filtering the albumen, if

thick,and its tendency to form small bubbles, which

adhere to the film with great tenacity, are also hind-
rances. These difficulties can be overcome by good

manipulation but the coating with albumen alone will,

;

if carefully performed, take more time than the use

of both gelatine and tannin in the tannin process.

Another objection to the collodio-albumen process is

the liability of the surface of the albumen to contract

stains from the nitrate bath. These may generally be
avoided by using nothing in the albumen which will
render it more absorbent, and drying the film strongly

by artificial heat before the second excitement, although

the development is thereby rendered slow and trouble-
some. If sugar, treacle, or nitrate of magnesia be
used with the albumen the development is facilitated ;

but the liability to stains is, from the porous nature of

the film, so greatly increased that in some states of the
bath they can hardly be avoided. When any dry
 116

in the nitrate bath there

porous surface is immersed
must always be a chance of its contracting stains, and
the liability will vary with the degree of porosity and
the state of the bath.
The contamination by albumen appears after some
time to produce in the bath a tendency to form scum,
which sometimes appears very quickly after filtering :
not prevent this ten-
decolourizing the solution does

dency. Collodion is not easily stained in the bath, as

down by the film is prevented from
any scum carried
of the ether, and pro-
adhering by the repellant effect
bably floated again to the surface by the low specific

oravity of the same fluid : when the bath has absorbed

much alcohol and ether there is less repulsion between

the liquid and the collodion when first immersed, and

stains are more likely to appear.
results with badly
The tannin process gives better
and has
lighted subjects than the collodio-albumen,
other obvious advantages ; nevertheless, it must be
allowed that pictures produced by the collodio-albumen,
in skilful hands, are of first-rate excellence, and time
and experience only can decide between the two
methods.
The development of collodio-albumen plates is facili-

tated, and
the picture rendered brighter and more
over
intense, and solarization diminished, by pouring
the film after the final washing a solution of gallic acid,
two or three grains to the ounce, and allowing to drain
dry spontaneously: sensitiveness is,
however, slightly
 117

diminished in this way. Something like the same

effect is produced by the use of a solution of tannin,
half a grain to the ounce, which may be washed off

again; a softer picture will be thus obtained with little

or no diminution of sensitiveness. The nitrate of
silver should in either case be entirely removed, or
stains may be formed. The ammonia and pyrogallic

developer, as before observed, answers well with plates

prepared by this process, and does not require so long
an exposure as the ordinary method.

FothergilTs process is much simpler and less trouble-

some than the collodio-alburnen, and is free from some
of its faults. The difficulty of forming a good coat of
albumen and of avoiding bubbles and filaments is got
rid of, and a newer collodion may be used without

producing blisters. On the other hand this process

has defects of its own, one of which is an increased

liability to stains. In the ordinary way of working

this process it is difficult to obtain great sensitiveness

without approaching the limit at which these stains

begin to appear, from the contact of nitrate of silver and

albumen upon the film. The process is also dependent
to a very great degree on the quality of the collodion,

which, if unsuitable, renders the development very

slow and feeble, especially if to avoid stains the nitrate
of silver is nearly all removed before the albumen is

applied. Not only do the sky and high lights often

become pale from solarization before the dark parts

of the subject are sufficiently exposed, but the film

 113

is apt to be loosened in developing, and if so will

never adhere again, or, worst of all, may split

off in drying. All these faults appear to occur fre-

quently with those kinds of collodion which give the

greatest sensitiveness. The tendency of the film to

split off is so great on large plates that nothing but a

very powdery and insensitive collodion can be used :

varnishing round the edge will prevent the film from

washing off, but not from loosening during develop-
ment or fixing, nor from splitting off when dried. If a,

preliminary coating be used, this process will give

about as much trouble as the tannin method, and will

still leave the quality of the result dependent on the-

conditiou of the collodion, as before shown.

Negatives of the highest degree of excellence may

be obtained by the albumen process with some kinds
of subjects ; but it is difficult to produce a perfect film,

and to dry a layer of sufficient thickness, free from.

dust. Plates prepared by this process are insensitive,

and appear to be quite incapable of taking sky and
foliage or dark objects together, without rendering the
former pale from solarization, probably on account of
their want of opacity.
Glycyrrhizine, used as a preservative on collodion,
appears to be very uncertain in its effect. If the

collodion is not in exactly the right state, even when a^

sample prepared for the purpose is used, the develop-

ment is sometimes so feeble that scarcely anything,
can be brought out with any exposure.
 110

The malt process can be made to give very good

results, but it is not a really dry process ; the sugar

present commonly keeping the surface of the film too

moist and sticky, This process has the faults common
to moist preservative processes, among others that of

requiring a considerable amount of nitrate of silver in

the film to produce tolerable sensitiveness , one effect

of the nitrate is to produce a liability to stains. It

does not appear probable that plates prepared in this

way, without removing the whole of the nitrate, \vill

keep well.

After trying in vain to modify the collodion for dry

processes in such a way as to overcome the difficulty of

obtaining sufficient adhesion to the plate, without loss
of sensitiveness, the writer thought of ascertaining the

effect of an exciting bath, containing half its bulk or

more of alcohol. This greatly diminished the diffi-

culty, rendering the film very non-contractile (even

when the collodion was new, and contained a large

proportion of ether), and not diminishing the sensitive-

ness. For some time this answered well ; but the
alcoholic bath gradually acquired the property of re-

moving iodide of silver from the film, and in time this

increased to such an extent as to render a collodion

film transparent in a few minutes. Keeping a quan-
tity of undissolved iodide of silver
in the solution did

not entirely prevent the destructive action, even when

the iodide was stirred up, and the bath used in a turbid
state. From this it seems probable that the iodide
 120

was removed by crystallizing out: the presence of a

large amount of alcohol seems to favour the formation

of crystals in a Lath which has become over-iodized.

If a solution of nitrate containing much iodide is

diluted with water, iodide will be precipitated; but

if alcohol is added no such effect is produced. It is

evident from this that if alcohol constitutes a consider-

able part of the liquid in a bath, it will hold much
more iodide in solution than if the nitrate were dissolved

in the same bulk of water. This may in some way

promote the crystallization of the iodide.

After being evaporated nearly to dryness, and re-di-

luted, the bath alluded to worked well again. Something

like the above-described action, in a modified degree,

often takes place in a bath which has acquired much

alcohol from the collodion, forming on the excited film
streaks of less opacity in the direction of the dip.
If the formation of these streaks be prevented by

moving the plate laterally immediately after immersion,

still there will be a general loss of opacity, and trans-

parent spots will probably appear ;

and if the plate has

been allowed to remain at rest in the bath, the film will

look as if covered with sand. In such a case the bath

is
probably over-iodized;* if shaken up in a clear bottle
* Sometimes crystals will appear on the film, even though
the bath may have been diluted and filtered, and nitrate added
till there is considerable solvent effect on iodide. In such a
case it the iodide crystallizes out of the film;
appears as if

collodion precisely similar in other respects, but containing

only bromide, -will form no crystals, however long left in the

 121

and carefully examined, transparent needle-shaped

crystals will be seen suspended in the liquid ; such

crystals have been supposed to be acetate or oxalate of

silver. If iodide of silver enter largely into their compo-
sition, the fact may be made evident in the following
manner : A very small addition of water to a portion
of the bath will cause a dense precipitate of iodide of

silver ;
if some of the crystals are collected by allowing
them to subside in a glass measure, and then washed
and placed on a clean piece of glass, with a few drops of
distilled water, it will be found that nitric acid has no

effect on them, but that nitrate of silver dissolved with

the crystals will dissolve them also. The addition of

more distilled water will cause a precipitate of iodide

of silver ;
a solution of cyanide or hyposulphite of
sufficient strength on being mixed with the liquid will
clear it immediately.

A. bath which has been brought by use into the state

described above, may be freed from the greater part of

the alcohol and the superabundant iodide, and at the

same time from any organic matter which might cause
fogging, in the following manner Stir in a few drops
:

of solution of ammonia until decidedly alkaline, dilute

with an equal quantity of distilled water, and filter ;

same bath. This phenomenon seems to depend on the collodion,

and requires investigation. In the state of things just described,
good results can only be obtained by keeping the plate in motion
the whole time it is in the bath, and so preventing the forma-

tion of crystals, each of which would remove the iodide and

leave a transparent spot.
then boil in an open porcelain or tlrin glass vessel over
a spirit lamp, which may be filled with wood naphtha,
until the solution is reduced to its
original quantity.
The lamp should stand in a dish large enough to hold
the nitrate solution, in case of accident. When the
bath has become quite cold it should be filtered through

paper containing no iodide, and be made just percep-

tibly acid with nitric acid, and if to be used in a neutral
state it
may be passed through a filter containing car-
bonate of silver. The difficulties caused by the for-
mation of crystals in the bath or collodion appear to
be entirely avoided by the use of bromide alone in the
latter.

A very good and simple way of managing a bath is as

follows : Make it with good nitrate and add nothing
except some iodide to begin with, always use collodion
which has a light yellow tint, and filter every time used
through the same paper (which should contain no iodide)
as long as it will hold together, and add plain nitrate
solution as fast as it wastes. A bath treated in this way
will probably not work well with quite colourless collo-

dion ;
but it will keep in good working order much longer
than contained acid in fact, almost indefinitely, if
if it

not used much continuously so as to become over-charged

with alcohol and iodide.* If tested, it will always be
found to be very accurately neutral, the small amount of
nitric acid liberated by the iodine in the collodion being
* Some kinds of collodion seem to over-charge the bath with
iodide much more quickly than others.
 1-23

removed by passing through the paper, which soon

becomes brown with reduced silver, especially if not
always kept in the dark. The writer has never known-
a bath to keep in good order so long as one which was
treated in this way, or rather let alone ; it was used for

several years, but never much continuously, being added

to as it wasted with use ; it never caused fogging, and
to the lastwas neither acid nor alkaline to test-paper.
It seems desirable in most, if not all, dry collodion

processes to use some preliminary coating to secure

adhesion, especially when the film is thick, and thus
be independent of the exact mechanical state of the
collodion. Several such coatings have been proposed.
A thick solution of India-rubber in benzole,
answers the purpose so far that it usually prevents

blistering and loosening from the glass but, un- ;

fortunately, as soon as the finished and dried nega-

tive is warmed for varnishing, the film often splits in

cracks all over, without being detached from the plate :

this is probably the effect of unequal contraction.

AYax, dissolved with the India-rubber, tends to prevent

the liability to split, but produces a dull, granulated
surface ;
and some of the wax is dissolved by the ether

in the collodion, producing in the latter, if present in

any considerable quantity, a tendency to gelatinize OB

the plate from precipitation of the wax by evaporation
of ether : this state of things gives rise to a mottled
texture. A thin coating of India-rubber does not

commonly produce sufficient adhesion unless diluted

 124

alcohol is used to moisten the film for development.

Marine glue dissolved in benzole, in which it is very
sparingly soluble, is addicted to cracking like India-
rubber.

Albumen is sometimes used for this purpose, but, in

its ordinary state, is not to be recommended ; for its

adhesion to the collodion is inferior to that of gelatine

from being too close in texture to be penetrated, and it

does not afterwards swell in a gelatinous state into
the pores of the collodion; the adhesion of albumen
is however generally sufficient, but it has a far more

injurious effect on the bath than gelatine, and it

is easy to prove that the nitrate solution penetrates
the collodion by coating a glass with metagelatine
(which is readily soluble in cold water), drying,

covering with collodion and dipping in the exciting

bath, when, in a short time, the solution of the meta-

gelatine will be made evident by the loosening of the

film. Again, the effect of the albumen, acted on by
nitrate of silver, is likely to be prejudicial to the pic-

ture; for the same soluble matter which injures the

bath will, if any of it remain in the film, cause rapid

deterioration by keeping, liability to fogging, and a

muddy, yellow tone in the negative. The above-named
matter shows presence in imperfectly-washed col-
its

lodio-albumen plates, but is more easily removed from

a film of albumen on the surface than from one below
the collodion. The ill effect of albumen in this way
may be prevented, in great measure, by the free use of
 1Q5

acid in the bath or washing water, but there will then

be considerable loss of sensitiveness. Plates on which

albumen and nitrate of silver have been in contact

require not only long washing but many changes of

water, or they will not keep well in hot weather.
The following is the method of using albumen
referred to in Chapter II. : Beat up one ounce of albu-
men with thirty grains of nitrate
of magnesia, or, should
this not be at hand in the dry state, thirty minims of
strong nitric acid, accurately neutralized with magnesia
or carbonate of magnesia; dilute with three to five

ounces of water, and filter. The nitrate of magnesia is

not necessary, but appears to facilitate the penetration

of the albumen by the liquid in which it is to be

immersed, and to render its adhesion more perfect

both to the glass and to the collodion, particularly to
the latter, by making the surface more porous (though
washing the albumen film, when made insoluble, will
secure this to a great extent). Coat the glasses, and dry-

exactly as described in the case of gelatine. When the

plates have been dried for a short time, at a heat of 1 00

to 120 e (a little hotter than the hand), plunge them, still

warm, into a dipping bath, containing thirty grains

of iodide of cadmium to each ounce of water and as

much iodine as will dissolve. Common alcohol may be

partially or entirely substituted for water with advan-

tage. After about one minute remove from the

bath, wash under a tap, soak in a dish of water
till most of the colour has disappeared, wash again
 120

under a tap, dry by heat, which will remove any

iodine not washed out, and keep and use exactly as in
the case of
.parallel
The albumen solution
gelatine.
will keep any length of time, if a little oil of lemon
of lemons) be dropped into it, and
peel (essence
will befound to improve by age. The iodide solution

simply requires filling up as it wastes by use, but

should be kept in a bottle, to prevent evaporation of
the iodine.
The albumen film, prepared as above, will enable
us

to use a new and horny collodion for almost any dry

process, and the albumen appears to be without effect

on nitrate of silver, consequently no fear need be

entertained of its injuring the bath. Gelatine, how-

ever, answers so well when tannin is used, that it is

questionable whether it is worth while to adopt a

method involving so much additional trouble. If the

gelatine is covered when dry with a thin coating of

India-rubber, the adhesion is very strong, and sufficient

for many dry processes : this plan gives much less

trouble than the method just described. The only

fault which can be found with the insoluble albu-
men the
film, beyond the trouble of preparing, is

when the glasses are

cleaned
difficulty of removing it

after taking negatives ; carbonate of soda acts on it but

slowly, even when used in strong warm solution.

Gelatine alone may be used instead of albumen as a.

and will
preliminary coating for other dry processes,
answer tolerably well with some kinds of collodion.
 127

With other kinds, however, it is not to be depended on,

as it is liable to be dissolved or softened too much in

the different washings, or during development, unless

it be protected by the chemical action of tannin on its

surface.

A thin film of gelatine, dried and rendered insoluble

in a strong solution of tannin, may be used with suc-
cess in many dry processes ; but this method
is as

troublesome as that already described with albumen,

and is likely to injure the bath by the introduction of a
trace of tannin.

It was during his experiments with gelatine as a

preliminary coating that the writer first thought

of trying the effect of tannin on dry collodion.

Having been in the habit of using gallic

for years

acid with dry processes, either mixed with the pre-

all

servative solution or as a final wash, to facilitate the

development and increase the brightness of the picture,

and render it less liable to solarization, it struck him
that tannin, a body of somewhat similar nature, might
answer the same purpose. It was accordingly substi-

tuted for gallic acid, in a solution of gum arabic at

first in small proportion. This experiment proving

successful, the tannin was afterwards used in the same

way in larger and larger proportion, with the effect of

still further improving the negatives. Eventually the

tannin solution was employed alone, and apparently
with advantage for although gum arabic, mixed with
;

tannin solution and dried on the film, gives a little

 123

more sensitiveness to the dark parts of a feebly -lighted

subject, than when

tannin alone is used in the same
to fogging,
manner, there is always a greater tendency
when the much In
particularly picture contains sky.

such cases, trees, buildings, or other objects, which pro-

ject on, or are near

the sky, often become red all over

in developing. Citric acid in the solution corrects

this tendency, but tends to reduce the sensitiveness-

otherwise obtainable.
Gum arable used alone, or with tannin, in this way
or loosening of the
produces a tendency to blistering
film, even when gelatine has been
used as a previous
washed
coating. Again, the gum, unless thoroughly
whilst
out, renders the developer black and turbid,
tannin has no such effect, and solution of gum does
not filter so easily as that of tannin.

The effect has been carefully tried of washing off a

If a
mixture of gam and tannin after application.
sufficient proportion of formic acid is added to the

preservative, it may be used, as recommended by Mr.

remove
Keene, without previously washing the film to
be removed as far
nitrate of silver or the
;
nitrate may
water
as possible by washing and soaking in distilled

without diminishing the sensitiveness. The intensity

will be rather less, but the image brighter. If the

nitrate is entirely removed by salt and water, there

of sensitiveness,
appears to be a very slight diminution
and there is a great deficiency of vigour. This way
of working would probably answer better if little or
 129

no acid were added to the gum and tannin, and tlie

alkaline developer used. In all these ways the sensi-

tiveness is greater, but in the third the intensity is

much less than with tannin alone, which will, however,

when developed with carbonate of ammonia, produce a
brighter image, as much intensity, and nearly as much
sensitiveness as Mr. Keene's method. It is not certain,
if acid enough were used to give the same brightness,

whether the gum applied without removing the

nitrate would give any increase of sensitiveness ;

but seems probable that a slight advantage in this

it

way would still be gained.

Gum can be used with tannin in any of the ways
just described without producing stains, except those
caused by the loosening of the film : the strong ten-

dency to this fault, produced by gum, is a great objec-

tion to its use. If there is no preliminary coating on

the glass, the film rises from the plate in washing oft

the gum, until itforms a bag of water attached to the

glass only at the edges. So energetic is this action,

that a substratum of gelatine or of India-rubber, or
even of both, is insufficient to prevent the evil. The
more thoroughly the gum is washed off, the more will
the film rise during the washing ; the less complete the

washing, the more certain is it that blisters will ap-

pear on developing : the slightest loosening at either

time seems always to injure the picture. Of all the
means at present known, a substratum of insoluble
albumen appears the most likely to make the film
 130

adhere sufficiently when gum is used. The writer-

prefers the use of tannin alone, as, when properly

managed, it is quite free from the mechanical diffi-
culty which attends the use of gum and it does not ;

require the complication of the presence of nitrate of

silver to produce good and vigorous negatives, with
very nearly as much sensitiveness as can be gained by
the use of the gum mixture.
Tannin gives, with little diminution of sensitiveness,,
and perhaps more effectively than any other known

substance, that organic reaction without which a sen-

sitive collodion cannot be worked when freed from
nitrate of silver and dried. If alcohol is used to-

moisten it before development, the film will be restored,

to a sufficiently porous state, as shown by its whitening

and by the energy of the developing action, though a
weak solution of tannin may have been used and? ;

even if this has been washed off again immediately,

the development will still be rapid and A'igorous enough.
The only difficulty which at first attended the use of

tannin arose from its being too powerful a chemical

for some kinds of subjects, when used in
agent
sufficiently strong solution to keep open the pores of
the collodion to the extent necessary in the way of

working adopted. The use of simply bromized collo-

dion, which will bear a large amount of tannin, and
of alcohol to moisten the film, which renders a small
amount appear to have entirely removed the
sufficient,

all ordinary circumstances.

difficulty in question under
 131

It is possible, however, that in some cases it may be

found desirable to use a weaker solution of tannin than
will work well alone ;
if so, the following method may
lie
adopted :
Prepare the plates in the ordinary way,
using a substratum of gelatine. When the nitrate of
silverhas been entirely removed from the film, apply
a weak solution of tannin (half-a-grain to the ounce will

produce a very marked effect in giving vigour and

brightness, especially when the silver developer is used),

wash off again thoroughly, and coat with a five-grain

solution of gelatine or metagelatine. The development
may be managed with either nitrate of silver or car-
bonate of ammonia in precisely the same manner as
when tannin alone has been used. This is a great

improvement on the simple gelatine process. The

collodion which gives the greatest sensitiveness may be

used with just enough tannin to produce the neces-

sary amount of intensity. This way of working, so

far as it has been tried, appears to be a very good one
in every respect, and a slight increase of sensitiveness

appears to be gained, but this has not been tested

accurately. Bromixed
collodion, however, prepared
with tannin alone, gives results of so good a quality
that it is questionable whether it is worth while to
incur the trouble of applying two coats of gelatine.
Tannin may be used in the preparation of dry plates

in various ways and with many mixtures; but the

writer has not found any modification which he has

tried to be an improvement, except that of washing off

the tannin, and, perhaps, in some cases the addition of
a, little resin to the collodion, or the gelatine method

just described.
A mixture of honey and tannin works well ; but, in
the few trials made in damp winter weather, no advan-

tage \vas found to be gained by the addition. The

honey, however, might be advantageous if water alone
were used to moisten the film, and possibly in any
case in hot dry weather : it is not likely to do any
harm unless it impair the keeping quality, especially
after exposure.

Gallic acid maybe used in proportion not exceeding

one part by weight to two of tannin, or the mixture
will crystallize in drying. The principal effects of the
gallic acid are a tendency to loosen the film, a decided

loss of sensitiveness, and the production of a clearer

and brighter, but harder image. This modification is

not likely to be found an improvement for general

purposes.
Five grains of dextrine to two grains of tannin in
one ounce of water will give good results, but with

slight loss of sensitiveness

and tendency to loosen the
film. One drop of glycerine with two grains of tannin

in one ounce of water works well with the ammoniacal

developer, but does not seem to give any advantage in

it probably may in hot dry weather-

winter, though
Glycerine should not be brought in contact with nitrate
a bright
of silver in developing, as it often causes
of the negative
purple colour in the transparent parts
 133

"rom some unexplained action. In hot and dry weather,

when the tannin is washed off again after application,
it may perhaps be found advantageous to pour over the

plate, before drying, about one drop of glycerine in an

mnee of water, if the ammonia developer is to be

used, or a very dilute solution of honey too weak to

;keep the iilm sensibly moist when the development is

to be with nitrate of silver and pyrogallic. In this
,v;iy the film will not become over-dried.
Tannin may be used with any other preservative with
which it can be mixed without causing turbidity; but
it does not seem particularly advantageous to employ
In this way matters which have in common with tannin
a tendency to produce blurring along the edges of the

sky or high lights. Nearly everything which has

tried has had either this effect, or that of dimi-
i'*een

nishing sensitiveness, or of loosening the film, if any

at all.

The action of tannin in stimulating the

development
is most remarkable, being much greater than that of
gallic or pyrogallic acid used in the same way, although
the first-mentioned substance is a far feebler reducing

agent than either of the others ; indeed, except

while being acted on by an alkali, tannin has

scarcely any developing power, even when mixed in

strong solution with a large proportion of nitrate of

silver, and if
applied to a plate fully exposed in the
camera it will only bring out the sky faintly in an hour
or so. The stimulating action of tannin is not
 134

-diminished by washing out before development, nor

even immediately after its application, whilst the
effect of gallic acid used in the same way is almost

entirely removed by a few minutes' washing.

The properties of tannin and gallic acid differ

also in another respect we increase the strength of

: if

tannin solution on new and sensitive collodion, it will

give increased vigour and intensity from one grain to

thirty grains* to the ounce of water; whilst gallic acid
acts very differently, showing a kind of alternating action.

This is not seen on applying the solution of different

degrees of strength up to saturated solution in

cold water to collodio-albumen plates, either because
the greatest strength does not go beyond the limit of

greatest intensity, or because the film does not retain

enough gallic acid to pass that limit, the remainder

crystallizing out. If, however, we dissolve gallic acid

in the proportions of one, two, three, and four grains to
the ounce in different portions of a solution of metagela-
tine containing alcohol, and coat with these four excited
and washed collodion plates, we shall find, on develop-
ment after similar exposure, that within these limits

the increase of gallic acid first promotes and then dimi-

*The increase of intensity produced by strengthening the
tannin solution appears to stop sooner when it is washed off,
than when dried on the film a fifteen-grain solution gives but
;

little greater intensity than an eight-grain solution, when both

are washed off again. seems probable, therefore, that the
It

intensity caused by a thirty-grain solution not washed off is

partly due to its mechanical effect.
 135

nishes intensity. Again, this alternating action may-

be shown in the following manner : Excite a piece of
iodized Talbotype paper, remove the nitrate by washing
well in common water, dry, and fold in three equal

parts ; float the middle part on saturated solution of

gallic acid in cold water, then immerse the part at one

end in the same, and hang, till thoroughly dry, with
that end downwards which is wet on both sides ;
expose in the camera and develope : the middle part
will he found to be far more intense than either encL
The same alternating action shows its effects, when
plates prepared with gallic acid are dried by artificial
heat, by the unequal intensity produced. If the

strength of the gallic acid solution be that most favour-

able to intensity, any concentration by evaporation and

heat will produce faintness in the developed image:
this effect will be seen in the parts which were the last

to dry. If the same alternating action be possessed at

all by tannin, the limit of greatest intensity is not at

any rate soon reached. The writer can form no

hypothesis to account for these phenomena.

I'lUNTEO BY H. GKEEMYOOD, CASTLE SX1S.EET, LIVERPOOL.

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