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APRIL 17, 1885. J THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS: 249 named Mathilde Gorlin. Whether Madlle. Corlin is as beautiful as her photograph, and whether the judges are right in their opinion of her beauty, the public will have an opportunity of seeing, as the prize-winner has promised her assistance at a soiree, when copies of her portrait will be sold, and the proceeds given to the wounded of the french army in China. The age of a lady is always a delicate subject. We admire the cautiousness of a San Francisco photographer, who labels two photographs of Madame Adelina Patti respectively thus: “ Madame Patti at eighteen— “ Madame Patti at—present.’’ Funny Folks pictures the advent of the camera into the domestic circle. First we have the smiling father under the lens, but after having had an experience extending over six hours, he smiles no more. The difficulty with the cook having been arranged amicably, and sole possession of the kitchen obtained, Pa and Ma step in and spoil all by opening the door. Boxwood is becoming rapidly scarce, according to Mr. J. R. Jackson, of Kew Gardens ; and notwithstanding the extent to which the various “process blocks” are used for journalistic illustration, the demand does not slacken. Paper, as the basis on which by far the gre ater number of photographs are made, must always be a subject of study to the photographer, and it is interesting to note a batch of suggestions as to the progress in this branch of manufactures which are to be found in the current number of the Journal of Chemical Industry. Herr adds solubl salts of zinc, calcium, or aluminium to the pulp, and afterwards mixes in soap, so that insoluble metallic soaps are precipitated ; these serving to make the resulting paper both partially waterproof, and far more fire-resisting, than the ordinary article. The treatment and manufacture of wood-pulp:have been studied by Coethen, and some advantage appears to result from subjecting the wood which is to be pulped, to a pre liminary baking in a hot air bath; this being more especi ally the case with coniferous woods rich in turpentine. In working the sulphite process of bleaching wood pulp, Flodquist uses a steel boiler lined with lead; the lining being fixed by screws provided with lead-covered heads, so that no iron comes in contact with the contents of the boiler. Dulfus makes an uninflammable pulp by incorporating eighty parts of asbestos, five of silicious earth, five of silicate of soda, and one and a-half of silk fibre. It is pro posed to use this material not only for making paper, but also for insulating electric wires. A. photographer who wants gold for making chloride of gold, obtains exactly twenty shillings’ worth by dissolving a new sovereign ; but in doing this he puts the country to an expense of about three-halfpence—the actual cost of manufacturing the sovereign. Still, one would be a considerable loser by dissolving silver money, as the metallic value of an English silver coin is not equal to the nominal value of the piece. In America, this difference is so great that spurious half-dollars are manufactured 3 weight, style, and fineness of the false coin being equal to the genuine article, and the illicit manufacture yields a profit of about twenty-five per cent. The dodges of the itinerant photographer are not to be despised, and we must confess we admired the dexterity of a couple of the fraternity who, a few evenings ago, we saw photographing a horse and its rider near Battersea Park. The horse is a somewhat difficult subject to take, and this particular quadruped was so restive that its rider was some time before he got him in front of the camera. But this done, all the rest was easy. While one operator focussed and made ready with the cap, the other, taking up the focussing screen, walked in front of the horse about ten feet away and tapped sharply on the glass; instantly the head was turned, the ears pricked up, and every muscle on the alert, and yet motionless for a sufficient time for the exposure to be made. Really a capital picture, considering the surroundings, was obtained. Horses are like children ; they must be taken at once, or not at all. Photographs of the old school may sometimes be im proved by artistic retouching ; it is the reverse with the paintings of the old masters. An odd story has just come to our knowledge, which, if its truthfulness were not vouched for by good authority, would scarcely be credible. A gentleman of means, by profession a painter of heraldry, had a fancy for collecting pictures, and, investing judiciously, got together a good number of valuable works, includ ing a Gainsborough, several Morlands, a Cuyp, and a Rembrandt, though we have doubts as to the genuineness of the latter. Anyway, his gallery was valued at several thousands of pounds. On his death, some two years ago, the pictures were sold, and realised £200 ! The reason for this was, that they were put up for auction in a suburb of London, the chief auctioneers for works of art refusing to have anything to do with them because they had been “ touched up ” by the owner. The fact was that the latter had a fancy for “ improving” the old masters, and especially their skies, and where he thought a picture might be benefited, he applied a dab of colour, no matter whether the artist was Gainsborough, Smith, Rembrandt or Jones.