The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1919-10-08

(Prepsred by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture)
Farmers who devote the little extra
time accessory in skinning animals
carefully-possibly only three to i've
minutes in taking off the skin of q calf,
or Is, minutes in the case of beef hide
can increase the value Of the hide
several times, say specialists Of the
United States department Of agricul-
ture. This is of utmost Importance in
view of the present urgent demand for
leather, and the increase in price which
unscored hides bring on the market.
II is essential and even necessary to
exercise the utmost care in removing
skins from farm animals.
Country hides and skins make up
more than one-third of all the hides
and skins produced in the country, but
too often the value of country hides
:fors leather making Is Less than. that l
Of packer hides. The tanner pays more
for packer hides than for those OBJ
tanned from farmers or country slaugh-
terers. This is due in part to better
facilities in the large packing houses
for curing and storing the hides, but
principally to the fact that such hides
have been taken off properly. The tam
ner knows that country hides are fire.
quently removed by unskilled work.
men and are often cut and scored.
When such hides come from a tanner,
scores show very plainly and in many
cases one-half Of the thickness Of the
leather is lost by such defects. I'M
perfections can be avoided and the
farmer can make more money by care
full use of the skinning knife, by keep
ing the hides clean and free from blood
and by proper storage and packing.
How to Skin Animals.
When animals are skinned on the
farm. the operation should be per-
formed on clean, hard spot under
tree, if possible. or, If done indoors,
in a room with concrete floor. The
limb Of tree may be used for sus-
pending the carcass, but when the
hides are removed indoors block and
tackle must be provided.
The animals should be cleaned OIL,
curried and brushed thoroughly, in or
der to remove all dirt. The skinntng
knife should he sharp, though it should
not be used any more than is absolute
" necessary. The use Of the knife
may be avoided in taking off calf skins,
except on the head. neck, legs and
fanks, as the body skin may be drawn
or listed off. Where it is necessary to
use tt ne knife, the skin should be drawn
taut with one hand, while the knife Is
used with the other, special care be-
ing taken to hold the back Of the blade
close to the skin. If this Is done there
is less danger of cutting or scoring the
skins. In lieu OF the knife, some BUTCH
ers use q sharpened wooden stick
shaped like mans thumb. and employ
q knife only on the portions Of the
body mentioned.
The first operation in removing a
hide is to skin the animals head,
cheeks and face. This should be done
Always keep the hide free from meat,
as one of the common faults Of country
hides fs the presence of more or less
meat, usually cheek meat. The next
step in the operation is to lower the
animal on its back and remove the
skin from the legs. Following this, the
hide should be ripped down the belly
from the sticking cut to the tail, max
ing a neat, straight rip, free from
Jagged edges. The sides are then
skinned, working forward to the brisk
ct and then back to the inside Of the
hind leg. Lift away the hide with the
free hand and stretch it tightly by
pulling outward and upward against
the knife or wooden stick.
Injury Done BY Blood.
Blood is Objectionable on hides, par
ticularly in the summer, as it Is like
ly to cause the hair to slip from rot
t:n- or decomposition when the hides
-~ -