332 PAPER MAKING. 



frame. It is with these that they fetch up the stuff from the vat, in 

 order to form the sheets of paper. The sides of the form are made 

 of oak, which is previously steeped in water, and otherwise pre- 

 pared to prevent warping. The wire cloth is made larger than the 

 sheet of paper, and the excess of it on all sides is covered with a 

 moveable frame. This frame is necessary to retain the stuff of 

 which the paper is made on the cloth ; and it must be exactly 

 adapted to the form, otherwise the edges of the paper will be rag- 

 ged and badly finished. The wire cloth of the form is varied in 

 proportion to the fineness of the paper and the nature of the stuff. 



The felts are pieces of woollen cloth spread over every sheet of 

 paper, and upon which the sheets are laid to detach them from the 

 adjoining, to prevent them from adhering together, to imbibe part of 

 the water with which the stuff is charged, and to carry off the whole 

 of it when pressed under the action of the press. The two sides of 

 the felt are differently raised : that of which the hair is longest is 

 applied to the sheets which are laid down ; and any alteration of 

 this disposition would produce a change in the texture of the paper. 

 The stuff of which the felts are made should be sufficiently strong, 

 in order that it may be stretched exactly on the sheets without 

 forming into folds ; and, at the same time, sufficiently pliant to 

 yield in every direction without injury to the wet paper. As the 

 felts have to resist the reiterated efforts of the press, it appears ne. 

 cessary that the warp be very strong, of combed wool, and well 

 twisted. On the other hand, as they have to imbibe a certain 

 quantity of water, and to return it, it is necessary that the woof ba 

 of cariled wool, and drawn out into a slack thread. These are the 

 utensils, together with the press, which are used in the apartment 

 where the sheets of paper are formed. 



The vat being furnished with a sufficient quantity of stuff and of 

 water, two instruments are employed to mix them ; the one of 

 which is a simple pole, and the other a pole armed with a piece of 

 board, rounded and full of holes. This operation is repeated as 

 often as the stuff falls to the bottom. In the principal writing, 

 mills in England, they use for this purpose what is called a hog ; 

 which is a machine within the vat, that, by means of a small wheel 

 on the outside is made to turn constantly round, and keep the stuff 

 in perpetual motion. When the stuff and water are prop rly mixed, 

 it is easy to perceive whether the previous operations have been 

 complete. W hen the stuff floats close, and in regular flakes, it is 



