DISHES.
The size of the developing dish depends on that of the plate to be used, although several small plates may be developed in side for raising the plate when it is de sired to remove it for examination : another form, which enjoyed considerable patronage at one time, is provided with a glass bottom, and has at the side a trough-like continuation, by which it is possible to raise both dish and plate to a nearly vertical position, to enable pro gress to be judged by looking through it against the light of the ruby lamp, the developer meanwhile running into the trough provided. The dish for the fixing solution is of a different des cription, though any kind of dish may be used. A large, deep porcelain or stone a dish intended for a larger size. The principal sizes of plates are as follows : 41 in. by af in. (quarter-plate) ; 5 in. by 4 in. ; 6?-, in. by 4:1- in. (half-plate) ; in. by 5 in. ; 8 in. by 5 in. ; Si in. by GI; in. (whole-plate); 10 in. by 8 in. ; 12 in. by 10 in. ; and 15 in. by 12 in. Of these, the quarter-, half-, and whole-plates are the most popular sizes, the 5 in. by 4 in. also
being in favour. Developing dishes are made in ebonite, xylonite, celluloid, and enamelled metal, sufficiently large to suit each of the sizes mentioned. They may be obtained in porcelain, but this material is hardly so suitable, on account of the greater amount of light reflected through the back of the plate. Different patterns of developing dishes are illustrated by Figs. 11 to 13. One of these, Fig. 13, highly praised by some photographers, has a lever at the ware vessel is, however, most suitable. and should be of sufficient size to hold half a dozen or more plates at once (see Fig. 14). Some photographers prefer to use a grooved tank of metal or stoneware, in which the plates are stood in an upright position. A similar tank, provided with a syphon arrangement to carry off the water, is used for washing the negatives, both before and after fixing (see Fig. 15).