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187 danger of altering the position of the print exists if only ordinary care be exercised, and sufficient pressure be re tained on the other half. Pressure is effected in a variety of ways. Strips of hard sheet brass answer admirably for small sizes ; they may be secured by means of a screw at one end, the other end pass ing, when closed, into a wire loop or other contrivance, thereby bringing pressure to bear on the back. Our ad vice is to purchase an assortment of new printing-frames from any one of the photographic stock-dealers, from whom they may be had remarkably cheap. We will suppose we are working with a quarter-plate negative in a quarter-plate frame, size 4} by 3 J (glass beds are seldom fitted to this size) ; the negative must lie quite flat in the rabbet; if it does not do so, either the rabbet is not true, or the negative is not flat. If the frame is at fault, and cannot be easily corrected, it will be wise economy to discard it, or a number of valuable negatives may be broken in consequence; but if the the negative is not flat, which may be seen by looking along the edge, we must gum one or two narrow strips of paper on the portion that does not touch the rabbet; if the negative no longer rocks in the frame when pressed at each end, it may be considered safe to apply the pressure. Place the negative down on the rabbet of the printing frame, varnished side being uppermost; pass a camel- hair brush once or twice over the surface to remove any adhering particles of dust; then place one of the pieces of paper we cut in the last lesson, down on the negative, albumenized side in contact with the varnished surface of the negative ; upon this lay evenly one or more thick nesses of blotting-paper, each piece as large, or larger, than the piece of sensitive paper ; this forms a padding to increase and equalize the pressure (a better article for the purpose, when come-at-able, is the red sheet rubber, which does not affect the print nor cause dust like paper, felt, and padding, of that description. It is manufactured any size and thickness); place the back of the frame in its proper position, and close the springs. If the negative can be moved about easily after the springs are closed, the pres sure is insufficient, and more padding must be added. Blurring in the print is a proof that negative and paper have not been pressed into contact. Let the printing board or bench be erected out in the open air, as far away from the surrounding buildings as found convenient; construct it with a sufficient angle for rain to run off sharply, and let it face due north. Photographs may be printed in direct sunlight; but any imperfections in or on the glass, such as blisters, scratches, &c., will be faithfully reproduced, unless the sunlight be filtered through a semi opaque substance, such as tissue paper or ground glass. Moreover, many varnishes will not stand the heat pro duced—they become tacky ; on the whole it is better not to use direct sunlight, especially as nearly as much work can be produced by having a good expanse of north light. When it is desired to print in wet weather, the frames should be exposed to light under glass. Printing takes place much slower than as previously described; we will assume the weather chosen for printing be fine. Having charged the frame with a negative, paper, and padding, and secured the pressure, place it, glass side uppermost, on the bench out in the daylight. After the lapse of five minutes, the progress of printing should be examined; until the student is master of the art, he should do this in the printing-room, or he may find the whites of his print very much degraded, more especially the vig nettes. Unfasten the spring nearest the head (if it be a portrait), with the right hand, holding the frame, glass side inwards, by means of the left hand ; with the right, gently open the released half »f the back outwards. Next raise the pad, and print by one corner; the paper previously white will now have a picture printed on it, perhaps deep enough, or it may be only just marked, depending upon the density of the negative, and the strength of the light; it should be closed up with care, or the paper may not find its way to the position from which it was lifted. Such an effect is observable when we get a double impression. Turn the frame upside down, release the other spring, now at the top, and examine the other half of the print. If it is progressing satisfactorily, close it up carefully, and again place it out in the light. This operation may be repeated at short intervals until the print is finished. Any portion becom ing too dark may be covered with a piece of yellow paper rather smaller than the shadow to be blocked, the most convenient mode of procedure being to gum it on to a piece of glass the same size as the printing-frame, the posi tion of the paper being just over the shadow. The proper time to stop the action of printing can only be determined by individual taste ; but we may say that, as a rule, the printing may be continued until there is slight shading or tone exhibited through all the lights—that is, where the dense parts of the negative have been—excepting the extreme high lights in portraits, such as the most opaque parts of forehead, chin, &c.; we shall then have a print just a trifle deeper than we require when finished; the reason why we print deeper will be seen when we tone oar print. It will be sufficient here to mention, that the prints become lighter in the after operations, depending on the treatment adopted. In the case of dense and under-exposed negatives, some times the shadows will be bronzed before the lights are barely touched ; this is very noticeable in some early attempts at landscape negatives. We may be desirous of printing them, although they are not up to the mark; and exposing the paper to the light before or after printing, either to the front or back, has been found useful by some printers. But if several prints are required, and harmonious results expected, we have recourse to further dodging, and recommend the following :—Cover the back of the nega tive with papier mineral or a similar substance, securing it to the edges of the negatives by means of gum ; cut the paper away from above the dense portions, so that light is not obstructed. Secure the cut portion to the negative with a touch of gum, and apply sparingly some powdered plumbago to that portion of the paper which covers the deepest shadows. Cloud effects may likewise be produced in view pictures by stumping in with plumbago where necessary. Sometimes negatives are exactly oppo site to the foregoing in printing quality ; the lights not being dense enough will be printed fully before sufficient strength has been gained in the shadows ; such prints look