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[May 30,1862. THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. 264 Walk in flic Studio, week’s number and the present. W.—If the practical result of the operation proved correct and satisfactorly not necessary to discuss anybody’s crochets on the subject. We saw thei sions in the article to which you refer, but they do not come before Ui form to call for specific notice. We may remark, however, that two statements made by the writer are incorrect. We said nothing atallt single lenses, but spoke of compound lenses only ; and the writer be " shown” that the equivalent focus of a compound lens could not tained in the way described; that still remains to be done. Hisge charge is correct; we were not quite accurate in stating that an 805 • 60° is covered when the diameter of the circle of definition edHg, focus of the lens. We were speaking approximately, without exacts lation, and stated the amount too high. We have not tried the 1ee0 question; but have heard good accounts of them as single view led It does not necessarily follow that a dogmatic writer is incoP practically. f tr A Constant Subscriber.—If your glass positive of a cavalry troop be{pe and sharp, we see no reason why you should not get a good enlarEenedj I tive from it. For successful enlargement, it should be well detid,s ' over, and quite clean ; as, of course, every defect becomes mag nit cd that which may scarcely be noticed in a small picture, might Pspe” glaring defect in the enlargement. We cannot recommend an! person to undertake the commission ; but a reference to our a" ( ment pages will help you. ing,8 E. E.—The faults of your card pictures chiefly belong to the printtros), these probably less of formula than of manipulation. You are Pod” not sufficiently careful throughout. You will see two or three ng. nications in the present number, which have reference to prints,s careful to use a strong silver bath : sensitize, print, tone, and e d one day if possible ; or, in any case, with as little delay betw sto ; operation as possible. Be careful never to touch the print at io. ’ I before fixing, with fingers which have been in contact with ! Copb regret that our engagements do not permit of our fulfilling such • sion as that you ask. 4;cip§" C. W. Smart.—We will take an early opportunity of testing and no I sample of silk sent. saturer, I F. B.—It is wise in portraiture always, and especially with card PlFfect" I use a glass a little larger than the picture, so as to allow impis pute I gins to be cut away. The thickness of the card for mounting ’ I matter of taste ; for album portraits we should say a five sheet too thick, a good three or four sheet board would be sufficient. (Several correspondents in our next. Mb. Vernon Heath’s Studio.—Mr. Vernon Heath, who, as our readers know, has recently devoted himself entirely to pho tography, portraiture as well as landscape, issued cards to the press and a select circle for a private view—on Friday and Saturday last—of his specimens, his fine gallery having just been completed. In addition to his fine series of Scottish views taken last autumn—which, in their entirety, have not, we believe, before been exhibited—and other landscapes, a variety of examples of fine portraiture were shown, amongst which the features of especial interest were various portraits of His Royal Highness the late Prince Consort, the last portraits for which he sat. Two or three specimens of the same portraits enlarged were exhibited, the delicacy and softness of which wore much admired. Card Pictures in America.—Mr. Coleman Sellers, writing to our Liverpool contemporary, says:—“The card pictures have become so important a branch of the photographic art, that wo find several of our leading papers publishing two-column articles on the subject. The Philadelphia Press had a very interesting article on the subject, showing the commercial value of these pictures; for, as an article of manufacture and trade, I dare say we shall soon see General MClellan, Presi dent Lincoln, and so forth, quoted in the price-current lists, as follows :—‘ Card pictures rather uppish : some slight ad vance on former rates. Note the sale of 2,000 portraits of Mrs. Lincoln, in ball dress, to one party at two dollars per dozen. Considerable inquiry for proofs from the suppressed plates, but owners refuse to sell.’ I cannot but notice that the name, “ cartes de visite," is being rather dropped, and the plain English card-picture used instead. Our language is quite capable of expressing all our wants, and there is little need of our befogging ourselves with the belief that card-pictures are not visiting cards, but are cartes de visite." Cleaning Glasses.—The gentleman above quoted says in the same letter:—“ As there is no doubt clean plates conduce to clear solutions, it is of the utmost importance to have a good method of cleaning glass. What seems to be most in favour in New York just now is a solution consisting of equal parts of commercial nitric acid and water, to which a quarter of an ounce of mercury per pint of acid is added, making an acid nitrate of mercury. This solution can be kept in an open vessel in the room, and the plates, whether varnished or not, can be thrown in, and should remain there for some days until needed : they can finally be washed under a stream of running water, and stood up to drain. They may then be used without polish ing. There is claimed for plates so cleaned an entire immunity from all metallic irridesccnce under the films in the clear, shadows.” Photographic Records of a Storm.—Mr. E. J. Lowe recently communicated to the Times an account of a severe storm, near Newark, of which a photographic record was taken. He says:—“About 3.30 p.m. mutterings of thunder: from 4 to 4.30, heat oppressive; about 4.45 and till 5, ex ceedingly large and curious hail-stones fell, and the air be came chilly. About 5.3, looking out of a window facing the east, our attention was attracted by seeing a small pony, closely followed by sheep and cattle, rushing in terror and at great speed from the S.S.E., opposite the house. The pony stopped and looked back, and then started off at still greater speed, as if pursued. On looking in the direction from which the cattle came, we saw the sky quite obscured by a strange dark wall of cloud, which was approaching us. Then a large quantity of hay and straw, which seemed to fill the air, fol lowed by clouds of the blossom of the horse-chestnut and small twigs; then at once, with a roar that is indescribable, came a furious blast, which seemed as if it would sweep the land of all that stood on it. Great trees went down before it, torn up by the roots, levelled as if by a sudden blow. Our im pression was that the house must bo swept away. This conti nued rather more than a minute, and was accompanied by gleams of lightning so frequent as to seem continuous. When it passed, there was a torrent of rain, with extremely vivid lightning. The Rev. W. H. Fox and myself took a number of photographs in illustration of the ravages of this great hurri cane ; so that I think we shall have preserved, very satisfac torily, a record of one of the most destructive storms that has ever visited this island.” Uo Coxxesponents. To Advertisers.—We have to crave the indulgence ofI of our advertising friends this week, whose announcemen from the pressure on our pages, we are compelled on I® occasion to omit. a EGRORG YEVRAH.—The cracking or reticulation in your film is aS* by the presence of too much water in the collodion, i. e., the solvents b5 been too weak. The same collodion may not, however, under other tret' ment, produce the same result; as two or three causes may be in operatt to produce it. If the plate be immersed before the film be properly set. similar effect is produced on it to that arising from water in the C lodion. Intensifying with bichloride of mercury will sometimes cause 1* ticulation if there be the slightest tendency to it in the collodion. " I shall be glad to see a description of your developing box. M. A. C.—We have not time to submit your samples of paper hangings to* I proper analysis; but from the hasty test to which we have had timew I submit them, we have very little doubt of the presence of arsenic..- bright green tint is probably produced by Scheele’s green (arsenite I copper). This is very soluble in ammonia, on contact with which 2 I once turns blue. This occurs, you will find, in both your papers,in " I light green ground of No. 1, and the pattern of similar tint on No.h. I your children suffer from the symptoms you describe, it is very proba I the result of arsenic ; and we should counsel the removal of the papens I once. In future either avoid papers of the doubtful tint, or before Hs them forward samples to an analytical chemist for his opinion and ad I Bermondsey Tanner.—We do not counsel placing the print in saltsl water immediately on taking it from the pressure frame. If salt and be used at all, the print should be well washed first. We prefer the» ■ of acetate of soda to that of chloride of sodium. A Constant Reader and Subscriber.—It necessarily follows that in is pictures taken from the same position, on the same sized plates, Wit lens of short focus and another of longer focus, the picture by the l« ns I longer focus must delineate objects on a longer scale, and includes I amount of subject. Of the two lenses by the maker you name, that "a I the longer focus will unquestionably answer your purpose best if you W I to take card portraits. It also answers admirably for stereoscopic pictts I as well; and where you wish to secure more subject and objects 0 I smaller scale, you can do so by retiring to a greater distance with y I camera. You can also secure more rapidity, as the stereo plate win, I covered when a large aperture is used. For stereoscopic purposes g I however, the stereo lenses are admirable. 2. The formation of a t I edge of collodion may be to some extent prevented by skilful maniP" tion ; but it is probable your collodion is not sufficiently thin and fluid2, I J. N. A.—The most striking defect in your specimens of card portraitt I the cracked, creased condition of the background : it would spoil the fy I of the best photography. A little more control over the lighting W0H R I an advantage ; this you might secure to some extent by using a white fleeting screen to throw a little light on the shadowed side of the Stee A little more care in securing perfect focus on the face, and in arir ment generally, may be used with advantage. The photography 13 { raising, and for an amateur of little practice is very creditable. „bie Sigma.—There are, of course, a large number of dealers in photostd materials in the United States ; we may mention, however, two or thrag, the principal : Anthony, 501, Broadway, New York ; the Scovil ComPg, 141, Nassau Street, New York; and Holmes, Booth, and Hayden, Chambers Street, New York. We do not at this moment remembec I address of any photographic dealer in Holland; but the Industry gd I logue of the International Exhibition will help you to the address of photographers there. X.—See the communications on the subject from the Rev. W. Law