Abstract: Improved air laid papermaking is disclosed in which the fine particles which pass through the forming wire are, after collection by a baghouse separator, delivered back to the papermaking machine for incorporation in the web being formed by the machine. A plurality of individual separator units within the baghouse are sequentially discharged so that a substantially constant feedback of fines to the papermaking machine is obtained. The fines are fed back to a selected one of the distributors of the papermaking machine to be distributed to the surface of the web being formed at a position downstream of the position at which fibers are initially laid on the wire, thereby trapping the fines on the surface of the previously laid mat of fibers such that very little of the fines pass through the forming wire at this position.