The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1908-05-08
PHOTOGRAPHS ON APPLES.
Surprising Richness of Color and
Wealth of Detail Secured.

Wealth of Detail Secured.
1t is a simple matter to print photo
graphs upon the ordinary red apple,
the tomato and smooth skinned pump
kin if one goes about it in the right
way. In addition to the process being
most simple, there is no expense in
CURED, not even for so cheap a chem
ical as hypo. as no chemical or water
is required, while the resultant prints
can only be said to be as permanent
as the support on which the image Is
! formed. The skin of an apple. tomato
or pumpkin. particularly at a certain
stage of its ripening. bears a strong
resemblance to our Photographic plates
and printing paper for the reason that
1t is sensitive to light. 1t is this sensi-
tiveness to light that causes the side
exposed to the sun to burn red or
yellow, and, as one can often notice,
where leaf intervenes to cut Off the
light close to the pumpkin, apple or
tomato IT will print an outline of IT.
self, silhouette, as 1t were. in green
upon the red or yellow ground. 1t was
through noticing this that conceived
the idea of printing from a negative
upon the same surface My first at
tempt was with apples. first hunted
out an apple having a leaf close to fits
surface, placed a piece of glass be-
meath the leaf and on It cut my initials
with a sharp knife. l then removed
the glass and pasted the leaf firmly
m b. a. -
away by the wind and left it for
week.
At the end of that time took the |
apple, soaked off the leaf and found /
my initials in bright red on a light |
green ground having the outline of the |
leaf. My success prompted me to try |
an actual photograph or one printed |
from a photograph negative. To this
end selected some apples of the red
variety that were yet green and en-
cased them in bags made of the black
paper in which plates and paper are
usually packed. These bags were left
on for ten days to exclude the light
and add to the sensitiveness OF the
surface. At the end of this time the
bags were removed and film negatives
were pasted in position by using the
white of an egg. This white of an egg
/ found later to be the only adhesive
that would not show in the print In
order that all except the image when
printed might be green the apples
were again inclosed In the protecting
bags, this time an opening little larger
than the portrait being cut opposite the
film. This acted much as would a
vignetting device over printing frame
and greatly enhanced the results. 9th
er apples were given negatives made
by scratching monographs. initials and
sketches In spoiled films with an etch-
ing knife and attached in the same
manner and provided with the same
protection for the remainder OF the sur
face. The richness OF color and wealth
Of detail that can be secured in this
way are really astonishing am tempt
ed to say that the results are superior
TO any that could be obtained on pho
tographic papers. A week was allowed
for printing. The fine deep red Of the
picture upon the delicate green Of the
ground must be seen TO be fully appre-
ciated. Only nature could give Just
the exact tones Of the two colors that
would harmonic so perfectly. The
method for printing on tomatoes or
pumpkins Is the same as for apples.
hope that Others win try the expert
ment, and ! can assure them that they
will be amply repaid for their trouble !
st Nicholas.