The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-07
KIDS FOR KID GLOVES.
Colt and caIf Skins Also Used for
 Gloves.

Gloves.
 From the Albany Journal.
 Few persons are aYare," said glove manufacturer yesterday, ''that most of the gloves that are sold in this country under the comprehensive title of kid are really made of goatsldn. There Is hardly a country in the world that does not supply some sort of materials which are made up into gloves, and many of which pass for kid
 "The supply of kid skins of the finest quality is naturally limited. The greater part Is absorbed in the manufacture of women's gloves. Mems gloves, therefore, are frequently made of fine lambskin, which is better than the second-rate kid. The genuine fine kid skins are mainly of French origin, and those obtained from the mountain slopes of sunny France are world-famed for their excel lence.
 "All the best conditions of climate, air
 
 right degree required to secure perfec- ton in this district. Nowhere else are the conditions equally favorable, although kid skins of great excellence are produced throughout the mountain ranges of south ern Europe Their production is the prin- cipal industry among the mountaineers.
 Great pains must be taken to secure the softness and deIicacy of texture and freedom from blemish which form the value of the kid skins. The diet is the most important factor, and mothers milk is required to keep the kid in perfect condition.
 '1f the animal Is allowed to eat grass It's value declines, as the skin immedi- ately begins to grow harder and coarser in texture. To keep the skin in perfect condition the young kid is kept closely penned and carefully guarded against in- jury from scratches, bruises and so on As soon as the kids have reached the age at which their skins are in the best con- dition for the glover. they are killed and the skins are sold to travelling peddlers, who bear them to the great centers of the tanning industry at Grenoble Annonay Milhau and Paris.
 London is the chief market of the mis- cellaneous skins. Here may be found the Cape pe-sheepslxlns, tough and durable, from the Cape of Good Hope; colt and calf skins, from Buenos Ayres and other cities of South America; hogskins from Mex ico and Brazil; antelope, from India, Bra gil, Colorado and Africa. Of late years many of these skins have been brought directly to New York, and American buyers find it no longer necessary to go to London. While the lambskins are the staple in mems gloves, coltslSins are rap idly coming into favor, and fine caltskins are also extensively used.
 Each has a grain peculiar to itself, which. while not visible to the ordinary buyer, can instantly be perceived by the expert.
 Every invoice of heavy skins contains more or less curiosities, and the kind Of leather that will be evolved from a strong moose, musk OK, llama or Kangaroo skin depends upon the skins that accompany it. Dogslins are occasionally made up into gloves, but their use is very uncom- mon. Everything that goes by the name of dogskins nowadays is likely to be Cape l sheep.
 "Calfskins are good looking, soft and pliable, but they are apt to crack This fault is not found in coltslfins, which are l durable and handsome, and in many re- ! spects make model gloves. The wrinkles are objectionable, but these disappear l when the glove is on the hand The l jacks of Venezuela contribute the ma- | jority of deerskins at present Heavy leather gloves are obtained from elks. Hogskns are used to a moderate extent"