Page:Paper and Its Uses.djvu/45

Rh cutting out blanks, envelope papers are cut at an angle, this being accomplished by swinging the frame carrying the revolving knife to the desired angle, and the papers are delivered in sheets ready for the envelope maker.

From the cutting machines the paper is taken to the "salle"—the sorting and packing room of the paper mill. A number of girls rapidly examine every sheet of paper, withdrawing those sheets which fall below the papermaker's standard of perfection, sorting into retree and broke proceeding as in the case of hand-made papers. Counting, cutting, and packing take place very quickly after the paper is sorted. The nimble fingers of the counters turn up the edge of a quantity of paper, the fingers of the other hand run down the edges quickly, counting into reams with extraordinary accuracy. Some papers are trimmed before packing, while others are cut from double to single sheets. Wrappers are carefully folded round the paper, and fastening is done by means of string, tape, or paper tape according to the size and weight of the reams.

As will be seen from "Paper Trade Customs," on page 135, the number of sheets to the ream is a varying quantity. A ream may consist of 472, 480, 500, 504 or 516 sheets.

In hand-made papers a mill ream consists of two qualities of the same paper, whether the paper is bought as good or retree. If the paper is good it will consist of 18 quires of insides or best paper, each quire containing 24 sheets, and two quires of outsides or slightly inferior paper, the quires containing 20 sheets each. "Retree" paper is marked on the outside by two crosses $$\, \times \ \times \,$$, and the mill ream will be 472 sheets, whether the paper be good or retree. The price of