Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1857-04-04
Dressing Skin. for Robes, Saddles and Mat,

Dressing Skins for Robes, Saddles and Mats
a A correspondent requests US to give him
information 4. concerning the method of
dressing skins "with the hair on" 1t
differs but little in principle from that Of
tanning them for leather. In preparing
skins for leather, they have to be deprived
of their hair either by sweating or lining,
this process is dispensed with in preparing
robes. The fresh skins, if they have to
stand for some time before they can be
treated. are first stepped in brine Of com.
mon salt; then lifted out Of the brine and
laid over a table or bench, with the hairy
side downward, all the ,feshy parts scraped
off clean with a knife. and the ragged
edges cut off and trimmed. They are now
ready for undergoing the preserving oper.
ations. If they are clean white sheep
skins, intended for seats, saddles, or mats,
they are stepped in solution Of alum for
several days-from three to sx-then
lifted out, nailed on racks to stretch them
to their fullest extent, and dried in the
air; they are now ready for use. The
strength Of the alum solution employed
should be at the rate Of one pound Of alum
to every four pounds of skins, the alum
being dissolved in sufficient quantity o. to
cover the skins. .noar bases ems b1ssa
CALI dog or other skins designed for
robes, are, prepared in different manner.
After having all the fieshy parts removed
as heretofore described they are stepped
in bath of oak bark or sumac, or black.
berry wood liquor. containing some alum
in solution. Al peck Of ground oak bark
is sufficient for tanning twenty pounds of
skins; it will require twenty pounds Of
American sumac, or the same amount Of
young blackberry bushes to effect the same
object. These are boiled in close vessel
for about three hours in water to extract
their strength, thsn mixed with sufficient
cold water to cover the skins in two sepa-
rate baths or else boiled at two several
times. Three pounds Of dissolved alum
ara also placed in each bath when they are
ready for tho skins; these are all placed
in one Of the baths at one time, and al
lowed to remain for three days, being
turned in the interim every succeeding day,
and then lifted out, dripped and placed in
the fresh bath where they undergo similar
operations during the next three days.
They are again lifted out, nailed on racks.
dried in the open air, and are then fit for
Z
Skins are composed mostly of gelatine
which is very likely to decompose by expo
sure to moisture and the atmosphere. To
preserve them. they are brought into chem.
ical union with some substance or sub.
stances, so as to form an insoluble COM
pound. An acid in oak bark, willow,
sumac and hemlock, has been used from
time immemorial a. the chemical agent to
form an insoluble compound with the gela-
tine Of the skins by the process called
tanning. ANY other chemical. substance
that will produce the same effect may be
used for the same object, and hence alum,
which il q coloriess substance, is employ
ed for this purpose for white skins IF Robes
Of skins require to be more elastic and
soft than leather, hence they are not sub.
mitted to the tanning processes for such !
long period. Young blackberry bushes
impart to the skins greater softnesso than
oak or sumac liquors. .uoi.
To preserve skin robes from the attacks
Of insects, they should ber submitted 70 a
slight smoking in . smoke house, and then
hung up in the wind fora few days, alter,
wards. ), If found to be a little TOO, hard
when. dried, they, should be beate, with
rods, until they are quite soft. By attend.
ing TO these directions carefully, persons
living in, the country may prepare Their
own skins with no more apparatus than q
barrel, table, and 4 kettle,-S Sciertya
AnM.e''cdon''ise ''cdon''ise syHwIa Il ii ..9ta venom
ssi1g isafS.>>rr" ~ -ssosr~-e>>~-i ssnig
UsErU61 AR1rHMsr11cAI FAcrs.a4 4
person accustomed to the use of figures
soon finds there Is no necessity for multi
plying any number BY 12 I Q, for this be.
ing one.eishth Of one dollar, dividing the
number BY eight, vii! give the same result
the quotient being dollars and efghts@
thus SO yards, It IL 1.2 cents is equal te
twelve and two.eights dollars, or IL .25