Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-08-02
RUSSIA LEATHER,
The Nature of the Material Used to Give the
Particular Odor---Birch Bark Oil Peculiarly
DisTiIIed


Particular Odor---Birch Bark Oil pecuIiarI,
Distilled.
[From the Shoe and Leather Review,l
The manufacture of Russia leather
has always been something of mystery
to tanners of other countries. Numer-
GUS attempts have been made to find out
the exact nature of materials used to
give the peculiar odor. Most of the in
vestlgatOrs have held that the secret was
found IN the tar exuding from the willow
shrub, the bark of which is the principal
tanning agent employed in that country.
Others have claimed that the odor was
due IN great measure to the condition
OF the hide itself, and have maintained
that an article having all the character
lstlcs OF Russia leather could only be
made from the hides of animals raised in
Russia. The London Leather Trades
Circular and Review has been investi-
eating this subject and states positively
on the authority of an English tanner,
who was for years q resident in Russia,
and who was for some years manager of
an extensive lanyard near Cronstadt,
that the odor is entirely due to an oil
and not tar. This aromatic oil which'is
known in Russia by the name Of Degget,
is obtained by the distillation of the
outer bark of the birch tree. The bark
is not stripped from the tree in the or
binary way, but the oil is extracted from
those very small thin curling portions
that fall from the bark and are usually
found in considerable quantities at the
foot of the old trees. In spite of the
extreme lghtness of these little curls or
shavlngs large amount can easily be
gathered in forests of these trees. In
Russia the distillation is carried Oh in
the woods, but not under military guard
as has been enormously stated. The
expectation of this Degget is prohibited
by the Russian law. 1t is sold in con-
siderable quantities In Moscow, and has
other uses in addition to it's application
to leather, amongst them being its
former use as cart grease.
Our contemporary is strongly of the
opinion that the birch forests Of Canada
would furnish an inexhaustible supply
Of this valuable oil, and that trihing
effort only is needed to secure fortunes
from this source. Mr.. Anderson, the
gentleman referred to above as having
acquired a practical knowledge of the
methods of preparation and use Of this
oil, started for Canada some fifteen years
ago, intending to organize a company
and commence the manufacturing of this
oil on an extensive scale, but failing both
in health and pocket, he died in the in
Urinary at Sarnia. Since that time little
or nothing has been done in this direc-
ton. It is stated that this bark is not
affected by heat or cold, rain or snow,
the little rolls being so oily and indie
structible; and as they are continually
dropping from the trees, the lumbermen
might find highly profitable occupation
in preparing this oil when other work
was not easily obtainable. At all events
it would be easy to make trial. The
United States as well as Canada, has
plenty of birch forests and a simple dis
tilling apparatus could be fixed up at a
trif1ing expense. The oil can be pre-
pared, it is said, at a cost of 35 to 40
cents per gallon. The demand for this
aromatic leather dressing would be very
large, as the virtues of the Russia
leather are known all over the world.
Not only is it in demand for book-bind-
ing and the thousand fancy articles, but
it is also preferred by many for boots and
shoes. The odor is a protection against
the destroying moth, and in the Medit-
erranean countries the leather is popu-
lar because it is said to be discouraging
to the ood-thirsty flea which, in Italy
especially, attains a size and power that
makes him formidable.
The ordinary Russian sole leather,
according to our London contemporary,
is of very inferior quality as to its
make, and has but little substance from
the early age at which cattle are usually
slaughtered: in fact, most of the OK and
COW hides are only fit for upper leather,
of which, IN consequence Of the uni
versal wearing of high boots IN Russia,
the consumption is very large. For
merly the Russian serfs and peasants
covered their feet with shoes of wood
from the willow tree, the soles being
manufactured from the timber and the
ankles and legs wrapped round with
bark. In late years, with the improve
ment in the condition of the people, this
clumsy foot covering is discarded and is
replaced by leather. Soles are still
made of wood, which the Muscovite
peasants are famed for working into use
full articles. The sole leather exported
from, Russia comes from the tanneries
opposite Cronstadt, and as it is tanned
in willow bark, which contains but little
strength, the leather is generally hard,
brittle and rough, and brings low
DrIeeS