Harper's Round Table, August 27, 1895 Part 9

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[Ill.u.s.tration: If afflicted with SORE EYES USE Dr. ISAAC THOMPSON'S EYE WATER]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BICYCLING]

This Department is conducted in the interest of Bicyclers, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject. Our maps and tours contain much valuable data kindly supplied from the official maps and road-books of the League of American Wheelmen.

Recognizing the value of the work being done by the L. A. W., the Editor will be pleased to furnish subscribers with members.h.i.+p blanks and information so far as possible.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Copyright, 1895, by Harper & Brothers.]

Continuing the trip from Philadelphia to Atlantic City, the first stage of which was given in the Round Table for last week, we start from Hammonton. The run from here to Atlantic City is somewhat roundabout, owing to the nature of the country through which you must pa.s.s, and the run is about forty miles in all. Leaving Hammonton proceed through New Columbia, five miles away, to Batsto. The condition of the road is not of the best; but there are almost no hills, and the side path will, in many places, save you a good deal of hard riding. There is no difficulty in finding the road, except about three miles and a half out of New Columbia you should keep to the left at a fork in the roads. From Batsto to Greenbank is five miles over a gravel road in capital condition, and from this point on to Wading River and New Gretna there will be little or no difficulty in finding the way. The road becomes poorer as you approach Wading River, and the side paths should be resorted to wherever possible.

There are several bridges to be crossed during this part of the ride, from Greenbank to Chestnut Neck, and indeed there are a number of bridges over the entire route. It may not be out of place to say a word, therefore, about bicycle-riding over bridges. Most bridges in the country are composed of horizontal supports, running lengthwise with the bridge, along the tops of wooden posts. Across these at right angles to the direction of the bridge are laid logs, sometimes nailed down to the supports underneath, sometimes not fastened at all. If they are nailed the wood wears away quickly, and the heads of the nails stick up perhaps half an inch, and offer one of the most admirable opportunities for puncture that could be found. Never ride over a bridge of this sort at speed, therefore, and always keep a line between the rows of nails, so that you may not run the chance of thrusting one of the nail-heads through your pneumatic tube. If you are riding at night, and want to be on the safe side, it is wise to dismount, and either carry or push the bicycle across the bridge.

From Greenbank to Chestnut Neck, through New Gretna, is twelve miles.

From Chestnut Neck you should then proceed, following the main road, to Port Republic, Smithville, Oceanville, Absecom, a distance altogether of ten miles. Shortly after pa.s.sing out of Chestnut Neck the rider must keep to the right at the fork, and run into Port Republic. On running out of Port Republic he should bear always to the left, going down through Smithville as described. There is a road direct to Absecom, as the map will show, but it is by no means as good a road, and pa.s.ses over several hills, that can be avoided by following the main road, which runs along the valley. From Absecom to Pleasantville, a distance of three miles, the road is clear enough. At Pleasantville a sharp turn to the left should be made, and the road thence to Atlantic City is very easily followed. It follows the track until after crossing the bridge, then crosses the track and follows it to Atlantic City on the other side. This part of the road is in moderately good condition, considering that it is so near the water, and that the sand and gravel do not readily admit of good hard road bed.

NOTE.--Map of New York city asphalted streets in No. 809. Map of route from New York to Tarrytown in No. 810. New York to Stamford, Connecticut, in No. 811. New York to Staten Island in No. 812. New Jersey from Hoboken to Pine Brook in No. 813. Brooklyn in No. 814.

Brooklyn to Babylon in No. 815. Brooklyn to Northport in No. 816.

Tarrytown to Poughkeepsie in No. 817. Poughkeepsie to Hudson in No. 818. Hudson to Albany in No. 819. Tottenville to Trenton in 820. Trenton to Philadelphia in 821. Philadelphia in No. 822.

Philadelphia-Wissahickon Route in No. 823. Philadelphia to West Chester in No. 824. Philadelphia to Atlantic City--First Stage in No. 825.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CAMERA CLUB]

Any questions in regard to photograph matters will be willingly answered by the Editor of this column, and we should be glad to hear from any of our club who can make helpful suggestions.

PAPERS FOR BEGINNERS, NO. 13.

DARK-ROOM HINTS.

In guides to photography, directions are always given for varnis.h.i.+ng the negative, but with ordinary care a negative need not be varnished except for the purpose of retouching. Retouching means covering the spots in the film with some non-actinic substance. Small spots are covered by touching them lightly with a rather soft lead-pencil. Sometimes water-color is used applied with a delicate brush, and sometimes crayons are used.

It is not necessary to varnish a negative in order to retouch it; for a fluid can be bought for this purpose, called "retouching fluid," which is applied locally with a piece of surgeon's cotton. To "apply locally"

means to put the fluid on the part of the plate which needs retouching, instead of covering the whole plate. A bottle of retouching fluid costs twenty-five cents, and will last a long time. Full directions for use come with each bottle.

Fine retouching is an art, but the amateur can easily learn to cover the spots in his negative which would disfigure or spoil his prints.

The small clear spots on negatives are usually caused by dust on the plate. They make what are called pin-holes, and wherever these occur in the negative a black spot will show on the print. Amateurs are often advised to dust their plates with a brush before placing them in the holders. It requires a very soft brush and a careful hand to dust a sensitive plate without scratching the film, and if the plate-holders and camera-bellows are wiped frequently with a damp cloth there will be little danger of pin-holes from dust spots in the sensitive plate.

Transparent spots in the negative are caused by air-bubbles forming on the plate when the developer is turned over it, and the bubbles not being broken, the developer does not have a chance to act on the film.

Larger spots on the plate or near the edge, which seem less intense than the rest of the negative, are caused by the plate not being covered all at once with the developer. The undeveloped plate should be placed in the tray and the developing solution turned over it quickly with a sort of sweeping motion, and the tray rocked in all directions till the plate is completely covered.

Never place a negative in suns.h.i.+ne or near a stove to dry. The heat causes the gelatine to melt and run off the plate. If for any reason one wishes to dry a negative quickly, wash it, after removing it from the hypo, for about half an hour, wipe off the water with a piece of damp surgeon's cotton, lay the negative in the tray, and cover it with alcohol. Let it remain in the alcohol for a minute or two, then take it out and set it up to dry. It will dry in from five to ten minutes, ready for printing.

Sometimes in warm weather the edges of the sensitive plate will come loose from the gla.s.s. This is called "frilling," and occurs when the developer is too warm. If the plate begins to frill, remove it to a dish of cold water, and lower the temperature of the developer by setting it for a few minutes in a dish of ice-water. The temperature of solutions should not rise above 85, or sink below 65 if good results are desired.

In a later paper full directions will be given for retouching negatives, improving the high-lights, blocking out backgrounds, etc. But these belong to the finer part of the mechanical work of photography.

SIR KNIGHT GLOVER BEARDSLEY, Auburn, New York, asks: 1, if one can use a ruby light safely when putting a plate in the holder; 2, if a plate should be left in the water after being taken from the hypo, or if it can be washed off and put to dry at once; 3, in the formula for making blue prints, where it says add one and one-half ounce of citrate of iron and ammonium, if it means three-quarters ounce each, and does it mean the ammonium in a liquid or solid form. 1. One may use a ruby light with safety in filling plate-holders. It is wise not to hold the plate too near the light. 2. Negatives should be washed at least half an hour in running water, and one hour if one has not running water, changing the water four or five times. 3. "Citrate of iron and ammonium" is a double salt formed of ferric citrate and citrate of ammonium, and comes in brown s.h.i.+ning leaflets. Ask for "citrate of iron and ammonium" when buying the ingredients for the formula.

SIR KNIGHT A. SMITH, Trenton, New Jersey, asks for a good developing solution, how to polish ferrotype plates, and how to keep films from curling when drying. Makers of dry plates always put in each box of dry plates formulas for developing, with full directions for preparation and use. These will always be found reliable. In No. 786 will be found a simple developer for instantaneous pictures, and we shall shortly publish a set of formulas with full directions for use. In Nos. 797 and 805 will be found directions for preparing a ferrotype plate so that prints will not stick. If the prints are trimmed before toning, they can be pasted before removing from the ferrotype, and thus most of the gloss made by the plate will be retained. Films may be kept from curling by soaking the film, after fixing and was.h.i.+ng, in a solution of one-quarter ounce of glycerine and 16 ounces of water.

Pin them at the corners to a flat board, removing all drops of water with a soft cloth. Set the board in an upright position till the films are dry. Do not use any more glycerine than the proportions given, as it will make the negatives sticky.

RECALLED STORMY TIMES.

"Well, that looks natural," said the old soldier, looking at a can of condensed milk on the breakfast-table in place of ordinary milk that failed on account of the storm. "It's the Gail Borden Eagle Brand we used during the war."--[_Adv._]

ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nTS.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Columbia Bicycles ad]

Walter Baker & Co. Limited,

[Ill.u.s.tration]