188

Office of
J. Duncan Putnam Corresponding Secretary
DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Davenport Iowa Feb 9th 1880

Prof C. E. Bessey

Dear Sir:

I have been very busy since my return
home so that I have not been able to write to you
in regardsto the etching as I promised. The process is
very simple and only requires a little care and practice. The materials
necessary are 1st a steel or copper plate which can be [illegible] ready
polished (Playes 8x5 in [illegible] copper 75 [cent] steel 2.00); 2 a small
[illegible] 2 a special [illegible] ; 4th Alcohol Turpentine Nitric Acid; 5th a [illegible]
of etching ground wrapped in a piece of silk; 6th a dabler
made of [illegible] and silk and stuffed with wool; 7th some
sheet geletine; 8th a sharp needle set in a wool handle; 9th an
etching point; 10th some wall wax (While wax and [illegible]
parts) 11th a magnifying glass; 12th a straight edge or ruler to serve
for a hand rest; to which may be [illegible] a [illegible] scraper and
graver and plety of soft clean cotton rags. Also [illegible]
The process is as follows: first clean the plate with
turpentine finishing with [illegible] then fasten the plate
in the vice and heat it [illegible] the spirit lamp [illegible]
it causes the [illegible] ground to [illegible] through the silk
distribute it evenly over the plate with the dabber then
[illegible] it over a candle until the grounded [illegible] sufficiently
dark. This [illegible] the ground requires a great deal of care.
Having made the sketches on paper lay a piece of gelatine over them and trace
them with the small needle then fill in the [illegible] until [illegible]
black lead then place [illegible] on the [illegible] plate
[illegible] the sides with wax and [illegible] this will
[illegible] the tracings transfered to the plate reversed. [illegible]
now a comparatively simple matter to scratch away the
ground with the etching needle- the piece shows [illegible]
contrast to the dark ground. After the drawing is complete
to satisfaction- [illegible] out the mistakes with [illegible]
Build a wall of wax around the plate [illegible]
on the acid I [illegible]