Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-12-11
Frcxs ths Southern Fleld anl Firesids.
Uomea Made Leather. :,
LOUISVILLE, Ga. : Nov. .Sth

Dy. Lee-Deur Sir: Your editorials
upon the subject of Tanning are very
instructive, and have read them with
great deal Of interest, but ,taink they fail
to meet the wants of the former, especial
~ those in common circumstances. Near.
u every farmer has from five to ten hides;
and if each one could Stan his own leather
&! home, these few Aides would make
leather enough to furnish SHOES for all lis
lmi!y, and for plantation use besides.
This is o time Of speculation, and If the
hides are sold to men who own tannerios,
they will not bring more money than will
buy pair Of shoes at the prices now
asked for them. | hope You will give
the desired information with full instruc-
unns. through the columns of the South
~A EseM uaG ITresids, how farmers may
tan their own leather at home.
Yours respectfully, J.G.J
Tue above request is both sensible ard
timely, and we will cudeavor to meet the
wishes Of the wrisr. 1t will be better
for several farmers having from FIVE to
tcn hides each, to unite III the purchase
Of a bark mill for grinding tan bark, and
constructing few vats for their common
use, than for one 10 be at the whole ex-
penso Tor so small business as his own
alone The most primitive way of taa-
ming is in troushs dug out CT large trees
like pine and poplar; but rnolasses ard
bacon hogsteals will form the cheapest
tna watts for tie farmers use. Dig OFT
the earth :wo thirds the depth of the hogs
heaas, pound moist clay over the bottom
on which the hOgsheads are to stand.
Three OF four will do for the tanning part
OF leather-making. Let thon not come
within six inches Of each other, so that
moist clay may be pounded closely around
,ssch llu.shrsd to within three inches 81
tn. top. II bark c@n,lot DO ground, Ii
should bs broken or cut Are with al axe,
50 as TO fill two Of the hogsheads. Heat
clear spring or rain water boiling hot in
large lots or kettles till the bark in both
h,sshc:.ds is covered with il. Let the
bark steep ard soak week or more,
while the rsw hides are prepared for th,.
ooze and tanning One hosShead will dn
for this, bat two are better They ought
: 10 surld some yards from tho bark watts,
'&causc lime spsttering into the ooze in,
jurcs it. Surround these with clay like
Ike hngshead used for tanning.
Alter the horns, tail ard drw-claws are
removed from green hide, it is split i'll
To two halves nr sides, from the tail t''
tic nose on the pate. If the hide is dry,
il must soak and soften first, After it i.
sriit i, goes upon the beam, and the ope-
ralive scrapcs and tears off all the trSl
and part of the t;xscis og membrane, which
covers the flesh sida Of every skin. 1t is
now ready f., the limo. 4 half buShei
Of recently y slake,i lime or some less o!
,l,us lime will do for a hngshead nearly
fall Of water. The line and water shnulG
i,r well stirred with u clean hoe. or the
plunge" before putting sides or skins
into the same, They should be otter
moved about in the lime-water by lever
sunc seven or eight feet long, and hauled
oni once day with an iron or woodel
hook. such as tanners Use. SO soon as
The hair will slip, sides should be worked
over the beam and Eused in the soak, ol
water hogshead, to remove tho hair and
all the lime. The hogshcad used as o
soak, washed clean, is now to serve as q
hen-dung vat or bate to extract all the
lime in Eho tissues Of the hides and skins.
A bushel of clean, dry hen manure will
answer for bate 1t fermcnts and is
ripe for use in one or two days, after soak
irg in half hogshead or more Of water.
Much pains and care is rsed in working
sides and skins out of the bate, as they
go from this into the tan ooze. They will
soon saint and spoil in warm weather.
Worked and washed clean, the sides and
skins are next handled two or three times
day in tan oozc until they arc evenly
covered and get handsome, fine grain.
The handling is done in this wise :
Place three or four pieces Of plank four
feet long down as a platform. so as to
slope over the hogshead, ard let ooze
from the leather. when lifted out Of it
upon the plank, run back into the hogs
h2ad anu not waste on inc ground. Snort
pieces of scantling or sticks of clean wood
lie ON three sides OF the plank over which
the edges of the two first sides laid down,
extend, and thus form sort of trough.
o1;en only at the end that lies over the
edge Of the hogshead. All thu sides are
drawn up separate from tho liquor with a
hook and spread by hand on the platform,
and are thrown back into the ooze again.
II the latter IS weak, it rs half or more
pumped out, and fresh strone ooze is
pumped in. The two hogshaads of bark,
with boiling hot water, will keep up the
strength as fast as ten or twelve sides can
possibly absorb Ii. after starting with two
logsllea'k Of good oozc You cannot heat
Cd eozc in s1l iron vessel, as it would
spoil it; but you may perhaps beg or
borrow = copper still III which tan ooze
may be heated without the least injury to
the liquor or the still. The heated ooze
is put on the bark, as it is much better
than water, where it is allowed to become
ab0ut AZ cool as the atmosphere.