Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-04-22

PRESERVATION OF LEATnEK.-A contributor
t. the Shoe and Leather Reporter e ives some
valuable hints in relation to the preservation
of leather The extreme heat to which most
men and women expose boots and shoes du-
ring winter depriyes leather OF its vitality,
rendering it liable to break and crack. Pa
tent leather particularly, is often destroyed
in this manner. When leather becomes so
warm n to give off the smell of leather, it is
singed. Next to the singing caused by fire
heat is the heat and dampness caused by the
covering OF rubber Close rubber shoes des-
troy the life of leather.
TEE practice of washing harnesses in warm
water and with soap is very damaging. If a
coat of oil Is put on Immediately after wash
ing the damage is repaired. No harness is
ever so soiled that damp sponge will not
remove the dirt but, even when the sponge
Is applied, it is always useful TO add slight
coat of oil by the OF another sponge.
All varnish and oil backing containing
the properties of varnish should he avoided.
Ignorant and indOlent hostlers are apt to use
such substances Oh their harness as will give
the most immediate effect, and these,
general thing, are most destructive To the
leather.
When a harness Ioscs its lustre and turns
brown, which almost any leather will do after
long exposure to tho air. the harness should
be given new coat Of grain black Before
using this grain black, the grain surface
should be thoroughly washed with potash
water until all the grease is killed, and after
the application Of the grain black, oil and
tallow should be applied 70 the surface.
This Will not only Hasten the color, but
make the leather flexible. Harness which
Is grained can be cleaned with kerosene or
spirits cf turpentine, and no harm will result
IIoI
medIatclv afterHard.
Shoe leather is generally abased. Persons
know little and care less about the kind of
material used than they do about the polish
produced. Nitrioi backing is used until every
particle Of oil III the leather is destroyed To
remedy this abuse the leather should be wash
Ell once a month with warm waite, and when
about half dry, ii coat Of oil and tallow
should be applied, and the boots set aside for
Il day or two. This will renew the elasticity
and life in the leather and when thus. used
upper leather viii seldom crack or break.
Band leather Is not generally properly used.
" hen oil is applied to betting dry in does
not spread uniformly. and does not incorpOr-
ate itself with the fibre, when dampened
with water. The best way to oil a belt is to
take it from the pullies and immerse it in a
warm solution of tallow and oil. After l.
lowing it t. remain few moments the belt
should be immersed in water heated to one
hundred degrees, and instantly removed.
This Will drive the oil and tallow all in, and
at the same time properly temper the leath-
or.
REN1vATING THE FARM-Joseph Harris,
formerly editor Of the Genessee Farmer. has
been engaged, for some years, in the attempt
10 renovate a '.run down farm = with the
following results, as written to the american
1gT1cuitUTlSt -
do not find a farm life entirely free from
care and anxIty- Perhaps l exaggerate the
dlsappOintments and annOyances. But if 30,
1t Is net common fault Of agricultural ed
/ Ors. We hear more of the successes than
Of the failures and yet the latter, properly
man who really loves farming will not be dis
Outraged by hearing ofthe mistakes of others.
He will try to avoid them. | have had my
trials, but think shall succeed in renovating
my farm. Every year affords me more en-
coura cement IL mistake not, we have FIVE
acres that will turn ont more and far better
than | got from twenty acres the first year.
And have fourteen acres OF clover that will
afford more feed than could have been cut
from half the farm. | have very fair crop
Of wheat on land where the oats the first year
only yielded eight bushels per acre, and
those hardly fit TO feed the geese. | have
some very promising corn on the ''Deacon's
Duck Pond. y and fair grass on part of the
rushes and weeds.