140 THE BOOK OF FORESTRY 



fact, so much water is added that the solution takes on 

 a milky hue owing to the fine wood fibers held in 

 solution. This liquid is sprayed out upon a screen 

 which is shaken continually from side to side and as 

 a consequence a large part of the water falls through 

 the mesh. As the water is shaken out the wood fibers 

 commence to "mat" and gradually a thin sheet, very 

 delicate at first, is formed upon the wire screen. As 

 more water is removed the felted mass of wood fibers 

 becomes stronger and is transferred from the wire 

 screen to a long endless felt blanket. This blanket 

 with the thin moist layer of paper on top is carried 

 along beneath some heavy rollers which press the re- 

 maining water from the matted sheet of fibers. After 

 further application of pressure and heat, still more 

 water is lost and finally the paper is strong enough to 

 bridge the gap from one roller to the next without 

 any support beneath. The remaining steps consist in 

 giving the paper a high finish by means of still heavier 

 pressure and higher heat. Finally the sheet of paper 

 is wound upon large rolls which contain many hundred 

 pounds. 



Outside of the most expensive bond and letter paper 

 which is still made by hand the above description would 

 hold true for a majority of the print and wrapping 

 papers. 



Nut Gathering. While in this country the nut crop 

 is rarely seriously considered, in Europe great attention 

 is paid to this yield of the forest. The "mast," as it is 

 called, forms an important part of the food of swine 

 in Germany and in Italy large quantities of chestnuts 

 are grown to be consumed as chestnut meal. Of all nuts 

 common to the East the chestnut is in greatest demand 

 and after the first severe frost large numbers of people, 



