The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-15
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HIDES AND LEATHER.

HIDES AND LEATHER.
Leather can be made Of the skins of all
animals, but those furnished by cattle are
preferred. The quality of hide depends
much on the kind Of food and mode of
living of the animal, those of wild cattle
being stronger aud more compact than
those of domesticated cattle, while those
OF stall-fed are better than grazing cattle.
The thickness of hide varies on different
parts of the body, that on the back and
head being much thicker than other parts,
while that on the belly is the thinnest.
This difference of thickness is less conspic-
uous in the case of sheep, goats and calves.
In sheep the skin is thinner as the wool
is longer.
The butt or back of the ox-hide forms
the stoutest and heaviest leather, such as
is used for the soles of boots and shoes, for
most parts of harness aud saddlery. also
hose for fre-engines. Formerly, when the
use of metallic armor was on the decline,
Its place was supplied by very thick,
plant leather made from the hide of the
wild bull of the forests of Poland, Hun
gary and Russia. This animal was COM
monty "bufe, whence originated the term
buf-leather. The Russian Company char
tered by Henry VIII, was compelled to
import certain Eumber of buffe-hides for
military purposes. Real buf-leather was
pistol-proof and would turn the edge of
sword. The hides of the real buffalo of
Italy were also imported for the same pur
pose. The modern buff-leather is made
from COW hide, and is quite different
article.
Hides are properly thick skins, thick
hides being called butts, whereas, those
only that are thin retain the name of
skins; yet the latter even differ much in
thickness, that, for instance, of the hippo
pOtamus being from one to three inches
thick, while those of the lamb and kid do
not equal the thickness of ordinary paste
board. The skins of bulls make thicker.
coarser, and stronger leather than those of
the cow, while that of the bullock is in
termediate between the two, and that of
the calf is thinner than that of the COW.
Of ox-hides, the most valuable are import
ed from the plains of South America and
from the Cape of Good Hope. The South
American hides, which are in the highest
repute, are obtained from the half-wild
cattle which roam over the wide plains
between Buenos Ayres and the Andes,
and are prepared for the market by being
dried, smoked or salted.
Horse-hides are not so fine 10 the grain
as those of the OK, and are generally used
for saddlery or thongs for common whips
and other similar purposes. Sheep-skins
serve many useful requirements, since by
dressing they can be made to initiate al
most any of the dearer kinds of light
leather. Goat-skins have long been priced
for the excellence of the leather which
they yield. In Switzerland, the south of
France, and Italy, great numbers of goats
are reared for the sake of their milk. and
their skins are exported to this country
and England to be prepared as true moroc-
co leather. Goat-skins, and especially
those of Switzerland, have beautiful
grain, are easily dyed brilliantly and per-
manently, while they are much stronger
and more durable than sheep-skins. The
leather is largely in request for covering
chairs, carriages and books. In Germany
1t is made into dresses by the peasantry.
The south of France, Spain, Germany,
Switzerland and Italy produce large guam
titles of kid-skins, those of France being
the most perfect and of the finest quality.
Great care is taken in the rearing of kids,
which are generally killed before they
commence feedine on herbage, for as soon
as they leave of their mothers milk the
delicacy and ineness of the skin is injured, |
and rendered unfit for glove-making. Older
kid-skins are used for shoes, braces and
binding, for which they are suitable from
their great strength aud elasticity. Pig
or hog-skin leather is principally valued
BY saddlers. In England and Ireland
pork is generally cooked with the skin on,
while in Scotland the opposite custom
prevails. Skins of wild boars have been
known to be of the thickness of two inch
es, and even thicker skins have been ex-
hibited, one in particular requiring seven
years to tan. Deer, antelope, cat, dog, rat
and seal skins are also made into leather
for various purposes.