118 
THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
often contracted to 8vo, or 8°, and is some- 
times, though, barbarously, pronounced 
eight-vo. Hence we see that by simply 
folding over and over again we get the 
following series. A sheet folded 
Once 
Twice 
Thrice 
Four times 
rive times 
gives 
two le. 
four 
eight 
sixteen 
thirty-two 
paper sometimes given, and we find such 
expressions as Koyal Octavo, Demy Oc- 
tavo, Crown Octavo, etc. But even in the 
most elaborate form this system does not 
meet the requirements of the case, and 
ives called Folio. 
" Quarto. 
Octavo. 
" Sexto-decimo. 
" Trigesimo-secundo. 
If our readers will take a sheet of any 
kind of paper, and cut it to the size of 
24 by 19 inches, and will fold it over and 
over again, they will get a clearer idea of 
this matter than by any amount of de- 
scription. They will also find that when 
folded three times the page will be the 
same size as that of the Young Scientist, 
and they will therefore conclude, and 
rightly, that the latter is an octavo. 
An ordinary sheet of paper may, liow- 
ever, be folded other\vis(^ tlian l)y a con- 
stant process of lialvhicj, for that is what 
the system of folding that we have just 
described amounts to. Thus, instead of 
halving the sheet, we m.'iy fold it twice so 
as to divide it into three parts instead of 
two, as when we folded it once. When 
these are folded on each other they form 
a long three-ply strip, and Avhen this strip 
is folded twice, so as to divide it into four 
parts we have twelve leaves or twenty- 
four pages, and this is called a duodecimo 
(generally written 12m o. ) Ii\ a similar 
way the sheet may be folded into eighteen 
and other numbers of leaves, it being 
always understood that the number refers 
to the leaves and not the pages. This is 
the x>oint at which most people are apt to 
get befogged ; there are three things 
which the terms might express, viz. : the 
number of folds, the number of leaves, or 
the number oi pages. It is the number of 
of leaves that is meant. 
But since paper is found in sheets of 
different sizes, the preceding system tells 
us merely the number of leaves to the 
sheet, and gives no definite clue to the 
size of the work. Hence we actually find 
some 12mo. books Avhich are as large as 
some Svo. ones. As a further guide to 
size, therefore, we have the size of the 
various schemes have been devised for the 
purpose of giving exactness to the terms 
used. One of tlie Avorst is that fixed upon 
by the Associated Librarians of Great 
Britain, who have ignored everything but 
the foot rule, and have adopted the fol- 
lowing scale of measurements, the in- 
ferior limit of each size being the superior 
limit of the size below it : 
NAME. C ONTRACTED TO. SIZE 
Large folio la. f°. . . over 18 inches 
Folio f°. .. .below 18 " 
Small folio 
sm 
. f°.. 
. - " 13 " 
Large octavo. . 
la. 
8". . 
.. " 11 " 
Octavo 
8-. . 
.. 9 " 
Small octavo. . 
sm 
8= / 
.. " 8 " 
Duodecimo 
12'^^ \ 
Decimo-oetavo. 
18' . . 
.. is 6 " 
Miiiimo 
m"'. . 
..below 6 
Large quarto. . 
la. 
1^ . 
. . " 15 " 
Quarto 
. . " 11 " 
Small quarto. . 
sm 
4\ . 
.. 8 " 
To designate unusual sizes the addi- 
tional terms square (sq.), narrow (na.), 
and ohloug (olj.)are to be used. That it 
will be difficult to devise a perfect system 
we fully acknowledge, but any system, to 
prove acceptable, must do more than tell 
us the number of inches to which the 
binder's apprentice has cut down the 
volume. The size of the printed page and 
of the type are of quite as much impor- 
tance to readers and buyers as the mere 
width of the shelving, Avhich. must be 
used to hold the book. 
— In many cases mineral oils are not to 
be recommended as lubricants, since they 
attack any India rubber with which they 
may happen to come in contact. 
