Radial capillary penetration of liquids into paper was experimentally studied in order to explain the slow rate of drop penetration in comparison with Lucas-Washburn kinetics. Preliminary experiments were performed in order to characterize the papers which were used and reconfirm the previously observed kinetics of drop penetration. The purpose of the main experiments was to study radial penetration of liquids into paper through a feeding capillary. Two types of experiments were performed : radial penetration from an unlimited liquid reservoir, and continued penetration from a finite liquid reservoir which remained in the paper once the feeding capillary was disconnected. Two main conclusions are drawn from the results : (a) radial penetration from an unlimited liquid reservoir fits the theory of the radial capillary; (b) continued penetration from the finite reservoir is quantitatively very similar to the second stage in drop penetration. The slow rate of penetration from a finite reservoir is explained by redistribution of the liquid from the large pores into the small ones.