THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER 



dipped the mold into the pulp, filling it even with the 

 top of the deckel. This determined the thickness of 

 the sheet of paper, the depth at which the mold was 

 dipped determining the amount of pulp taken up, and 

 consequently the thickness of the sheet. The water was 

 then drained off through the wire or cloth of the mold 

 by constant agitation, leaving the pulp as a spongy, 

 soggy blanket. 



The "watermark," or the distinguishing characterise 

 tic of most papers, was made by designs in the arrange- 

 ment of the wires themselves in the molds. When the 

 wire was woven like cloth a "wove" paper was made; 

 when the larger wires crossed the smaller ones at 

 definite intervals, a "laid" paper was the result; and 

 these names are still in use for machine-made papers. 

 Of course there was no limitation to the number of de- 

 signs that might be used for watermarks, and these 

 came into use at a very early date, and have proved 

 valuable means of identification in hundreds of instances. 



When the water had drained from the mold, leaving 

 the blanket of pulp of sufficient tenacity so that it could 

 be removed, it was taken from the mold and laid upon 

 a sheet of felt. Other layers of pulp were placed above 

 it, alternating with sheets of felt, until a "post," several 

 quires in thickness, had been made. This was subjected 

 to pressure until most of the water was removed, when 

 the sheets of paper were taken out and hung over ropes 

 or poles to dry. When dry this paper was very porous, 

 being more like blotting-paper. To overcome this, the 

 sheets were dipped in solutions made from boots, horns, 

 hides, parchment clippings, etc., which filled the pores 



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