The anti-monopolist., 1875-10-11

TANNING SKINS AND DYEING FURs.-
Farmers. miners and others are often
at loss tor Il good recipe for tanning
the skins OF small animals which may
come in their way, and which might
be advantayeously utilized with Il very
little labor.
Kid leather j. usually made Of sheep
and lamb skins The flesh sid. is coated
with paste of thick lime water and
rolled up until the wool can be removed,
when the skins are subjected to the bran
bath When taken from it and thorough
~ cleansed they are put INTO what is
called the '.white bath,n composed of
say, one pound OF alum to one gallon Of
water and about one-tourth pound OF salt.
This solution IS made boiling hot and
the skins passed through it successlvely;
after whlcl they are immersed and left
in it I ten minutes. \ paste is then
made by gradual y adding to the solution
(and constantly stirrng) one and one
fourth pounds Of wheat flour tor each
gallon Of the solution, gently heated,
aud subsequently, the yolAs Of five eggs,
and then incorporating the whole thor
/ ougniy. The sains or put into this paste
and lett twenty-iour hours. after which
they are hung on poles and ieit to dry
ior u Week or more, rs may be necessary.
Ihey arc then sottened by being drawn
across ! stalking iron the edge of q
shovel will answer-and may be polished
with smooth tiit-iron, carefully heated
aud managed in the anne way as that
used ~ "A llundress They will become
soft and as white as snow. Color can
bc impaired with dyes;uffs as may be
desired II the skins are wanted for
mats, robes. or iurS, omit the lining and
brannlng. and proceed a. once to the
alum anI paste bath. The above pro-
ce-, is called '-tawing.7 A simple metn-
Cd tor robes ard mats is merely 50
ton 81 alum and salt, but the drawing
oi dlmpness Is serious objection TO
it, 81 course, in all processes where
alt Is used there will be dampness to
some extent.
The American Indians, in tanning
+. JucA,nln. use brains: that is. tncr eX-
trc.se their own brains by taking the
brains OF animals and placing them with
/ the skins In a large carthen pot and
I heating them to about ninety-iiye de
/ -rees. which converts the moi,iened
brain into kind ol lather and makes the
skins clean and . liable. After being
wrung out they are stretched ~ means Of
{ thongs, and constantly rubbed with !
/ -molh stone 50 IL TO cxpel the water and
the fat
The curing and dyeiag Of skins and
+ lur, II home may Dc done in i crude
manner Is follows. by those who are no;
4 professional dyers: The skin having
/ been brushed down on the furry side IS
stretched and tackled down to a fiat
i board. (lI i has already been allowed
/ to dry. it must be immersed in clear
water tor day. frequent saueezings and
/ rubbings beng applied to render it quite
so.t.) With q small fiat piece OF iron.
/ rounded at tie edges. any fat, flesh, dirt,
etc. which may be adhering, is scraped
away. 4 strong solution OF alum. with
| sufficient coarse wheat meal to bring il
to the state o. thick paste. is then made.
This mixture IS rubbed thoroughly into
tue fieshy side OF the skin, leaving lay
CT On about one-quarter inch thick for
twentv-iosr hours. This il washed of
thoroughly, again kneading as much as
possible to insure softness. 1t is now
allowed to drain. and then immerse Tor
N quarter OF an hour in aweak decoction
of gall nuts. 1t is then tackled out, with
. the hairy side outward, and allowed to
|. dry in the sun When dry it il brushed
over on three successive days with de
, coction of one pound logwood, one pound