152 TAXIDKRMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



There are several ways of making papier-mache, according to 

 the use to which it is to be put. I have taken pains to prepare 

 an exact formula for making the finest and best quality, and 

 from that the worker will undoubtedly be able to work out vari- 

 ations in quality, according to his needs. 



The most important ingredient is the paper pulp. The 

 iinsst pulp for papier-mache is that made by the ton in the 

 Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, from muti- 

 lated paper currency, but not from tobacco stamps, which is 

 coarse and not fit for fine work. A hundred pounds of this 

 pulp would cost, in Washington, about $1.50, and could be 

 made into sheets of small bulk, and dried for use as needed. 

 It is a great advantage to have it in this form. When needed 

 for use, take a dry sheet or ball of the right size, dissolve and 

 beat it up into a thin mush in a bowl of water, until the parti- 

 cles are all well separated, then pour it on a sieve to run the 

 water out without losing the pulp. The water is then squeezed 

 out of it by gentle pressure with the hand, but it should not, by 

 any means, be squeezed as dry as possible, for the water is an 

 important factor. Pulp prepared thus can be stirred up with 

 glue into a perfectly homogeneous paste, free from all lumps, 

 and so fine it can be pressed into the smallest crack. 



If you have no manufactured pulp, then you must make it 

 yourself. Procure a lot of old newspapers, of as soft paper as 

 possible, tear them to bits, put the pieces in a kettle of boiling 

 water and beat the mass in any way you please, boiling it 

 meanwhile, until it becomes paper pulp. It should be free 

 from lumps and small pieces of paper, or it will not work well. 



The following are the ingredients necessary to make a lump 

 of papier-mache a little larger than an ordinary base-ball, and 



weighing 17 ounces. 



PINE PAPIER-MACHE. 



Wet paper pulp, j dr y P a ? er ' l ounce \ 4 ounces (avoirdupois). 



( water, 3 ounces ' 

 Dry plaster Paris, .... 8 ounces 



Hot glue, . . . . % gill, or 4>^ tablespoonf uls. 



While the paper pulp is being prepared, melt some best 

 Irish glue in the glue-pot, and make it of the same thickness 

 and general consistency as that used by cabinet-makers. Meas- 



