In printing, steel plates are used, on which two-hundred stamps are engraved. Two men are kept at work, covering them with the colored inks, and passing them to a man and girl, who are equally busy at printing them, with large rolling hand-presses. Three of these little squads are employed all the time, although ten presses can be put into use in case of necessity. After the small sheets of paper are dry enough, on which the two-hundred stamps are engraved, they are sent into another room and gummed.
The gum used for this purpose is a peculiar composition, made of the powder of potatoes and other vegetables, mixed with water, which is better than any other material,—gum-arabic, for instance, which cracks the paper badly.
This paper is also of a peculiar texture, somewhat similar to that of banknotes.
