The first treatment that the esparto undergoes is that of “picking.” The bands of the bales in which esparto is packed, generally by hydraulic pressure, are cut, and the grass is spread out on tables by women, who carefully remove such impurities as weeds, root-ends, &c., which from their nature are with great difficulty boiled and bleached, and which if not removed would be liable to appear in the finished paper as dark-coloured specks, technically known as “sheave.” This treatment is called “dry-picking,” in contradistinction to a subsequent process, known as “wet-picking.” A portion of the table is covered with coarse wire gauze, through which when the grass is spread over it loose particles of sand, dirt, &c., escape. The cleaning of esparto can be much better accomplished by means of machinery. Fig. 23 is an elevation of a machine manufactured for the purpose by Messrs. Masson, Scott and Bertram. The grass, which may be in the form of sheaves, as taken from the bales, is put in by the hopper A. It passes thence to a conical {91} drum made of steel bars placed very close together, driven rapidly by the shaft B. It is provided with five rows of teeth. Fixed to the sides of the willow there is also a row of stationary teeth. The grass is thoroughly broken up and dusted by the action of the teeth, and is transferred to the wide end of the willow at C, where it is carried forward on the travelling tables D. During its passage along the tables it can be examined and picked by women standing on the platforms E. The dust and dirt passing through the steel bars of the drum are drawn away by a fan through the pipe F. This machine is also adapted so as to carry the cleaned grass to the boiler-house. It is taken forward by means of travelling rakes over the tops of a series of boilers, any one of which can be furnished by simply opening a door corresponding in position with the lid of the boiler. Boiling.—The ordinary form of boiler is shown in Fig. 24. It is known as a vomiting boiler. The grass is put in by the door E, which is hinged, and is counterbalanced by the weights L. It is securely fastened down by the screws F. Steam enters by the inner pipe A, which dips a little below the perforated false bottom B. Surrounding the steam-pipe is a wider pipe C, open at the top, which is made slightly trumpet-shaped; also open at the bottom, where it ends in a kind of shoulder, on which the false bottom rests. The lower part has two or more openings G cut away, through which the liquor can freely pass. In order to get as large a charge into the boiler as possible, steam is turned on while furnishing, and a quantity of caustic soda lye is also run in, which has the effect of softening the grass and making it more compact. This is continued until the boiler is well filled.