Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for dampening a lithographic plate on a printing press cylinder, which includes a fluid supply roller and a metering roller that are disposed in rotatable engagement and carried by a pivotally mounted first hanger. A dampening form roller is carried by a second hanger that is pivotally mounted to the first hanger, permitting the form roller to move into and out of engagement with the fluid supply roller and with the press cylinder. The metering roller and form roller are driven at a rotational speed different than that of the fluid supply roller. A water supply pipe includes nozzles for supplying dampening fluid to the fluid supply roller over its length. An actuator is operably connected to move the form roller first into engagement with the fluid supply roller, from which it receives a metered amount of dampening fluid, and then into engagement with the plate cylinder, to which it transfers the dampening fluid.