Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-11-30
AgriruIturaI.


BotToN, Nov IL.
FRIEND WALTON -
A company Of gentlemen, connected with
the manufacture Of leather in the vicinity Of
this city, have recently made a careful xplora-
ton of the green mountain towns Of Your
State, from the Southern line TO the extreme
Northern frontier, for the purpose Of learning
from personal observations, the extent and
locality Of the hemlock forest which was sup
posed to abound in that State. Az the matter
is Of character calculated to interest large
portion Of your readers, and is Of genera al
public interest. have thought proper to lay
it before them through the medium Of your
columns.
There is no locality in the United States
where the manu- faciure Of leather is carried
on to so great an extent as in the vicinity Of
Boston, consequently the consumption ofbark
here ia greater than elsewhere. The ex eut Of
the business may be estimated from The gu -
tity of bark annually required to meet the de-
mand Of the manufacturers, which will exceed
for the trade in this part of the State, 800 600
cords. A great 1art of this bark Is collected
from the remote hemlock forests of Maine,
though large quantities are brought from the
region Of theWhite Mountains Of New Hamp-
shier, and from the Green Mountains Of YER
mont. The average cost Of transportation
from the localities where il is pealed TO this
market, is about SO per cord. The price
per cord delivered here. ranges from Sl2 to
Sl7. The scarcity and high price Of he ar
tcle deters many from entering into the
manufacture, and has compelled the manu-
facturers of leather to locate their business
in the remote hemlock forests, beyond the
reach Of competition, for the supply Of bark
for this market. Thus subjecting them to
heavy expense in the trans portation of hides |
over long distances, and in returning them
when turned to market. These facts togeth-
er with the growing demand of leather !or the |
supply OF the increasing population of the |
country, naturally give rise to some anxiety |
for the future OF a branch Of industry which |
contributes so materially to the wealth and |
commercial prosperity of our city. A cheap .
er and more abundant tanning material must |
be secured, or we must yield TO other locali-
ties that prominence which we have held SO
long in the manufacture of leather.
We think we have found the remedy, pro-
vided the citizens Of your State will come to |
our aid, and think we can show it to their |
interest to do SO. Some three years since
the attention Of our farmers was called to an
extract manufactured from the strength of
hemock bark. From want of skill, and the |
use of imperfect appliances for making the |
article without imparing its tanning proper
ties, 1t met with but little encouragement
from our tanners. But within the last year
more simple method has been discovered
for the production Of this article, VIII CHI has
removed all the difficulty in the way OF pro-
ducipg an extract in all respects as pure as
the liquors lesched from bark by the most i'm
proved method in use by our best sc entfc
tanners. By this process the strength of two
cords Of hemlock bark can be concentrated
or condensed TO be contained in 40
gallon cask, without in the slightest degree
imparing its tanning qualities, and at an ex-
pense for grinding, teaching, condensing and
barrelling, not exceeding one dollar per cord.
The cost Of transporting barrel OF this ex-
tract which contains the strength OF two
cords Of bark, will not exceed one dollar, or
fifty cents per cord from the place where
manufactured TO this market, thus reducing
the cost OF ransportation from = 10 per cord
to so cents per cord.
This extract has already attained high
reputation among tanners of this part Of the
State, independent of the demand for export
to Europe, where an extensive and increas-
ing demand for il has already been called
per gallon, and will very soon settle down at
rs cents per gallon, as permanent price.
1t has attracted wide interest among tan
ners, and has the encouragement of all, with
the exception OF sole leather tanners with
whose interests il cor ficts as they cannot
well compete with such f their cass who,
to avoid the expense and inconvenience of
conducting their manufacture in the distant
m al ~
markets.
An association of tanners of this vicinity
have secured large tract of hemlock forest
in Canada East, where they are mauufactur-
ing one hundred barrels Of the extract per
day. Other extensive factories are in opera
ton 10 Pennsylvania and in the hemlock re.
gions near the line Of the Erie railroad in the
State of New York, large portion Of their
products fndinga market in this city. From
present indications, the day is not far distant
when this article will entirely exclude from
this market, the further use and introduction
Of bark. No State in the Union is more IA
vors bly, situated for the successful prosecution
of this new branch Of manufacture than Ver-
mont. Astounding in inexhaustibe auanti-
ties OF the best hemlock bark that can be
found on this ontinent-contiguous to the
market, with railroads skirting both sides of
her long mountain range and peneu ating
them at convenient distances thus opening
the necessary facilities for cheap transporta-
tion To an unlimited market for all she can
produce. While these hemloek forests are too
distant to make It profitable to haul out the
bark for this market. there is not an acre on
your mountains too isolated or Inaccessible to
make II Improbable to manufacture the ex-
tract and ship to market, realizing on every
cord net profit Of at least ten dollars per
cord. II must be remembered that the use
OF this extract saves the trouble, time, labor
and expense Of grinding, teaching and hard.
ling the bark, as il does the capital for con-