A machine for processing mail to separate the items whose destination address is typed or printed from those which are in manuscript. The machine reads the information on the items and distinguishes the destination address from a sender's address. The destination address is then examined to recognise typed or manuscript forms according to the dispersion of the height of letters, the spacing between letters or lines, etc. The machine calculates the dispersion of only the bottom or one or two lines of the address because this is where the most useful information is present.