New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1919-11-22

tered and remote sections of the
country. and seldom are treated
in careful and efficient manner
with respect to SHINING, curing,
and marketing. The result fire.
quentlv is a poor product of IT.
regular pattern and trim, with
many inperfections; such hides
and skins are usually handled sew
eral times before being availa bic
in uniform selection. Not only is
the yield of leather from such
hides and skins comparatively
lower and more uncertain. but too
often the leather is capable Of
only limited use. Most farmers,
ranchmen, and many local butch
ers are unfamiliar with the speci-
fcations for the various market
classes and grades Of hides and
skins and with their relative values
and the corresponding market
price. IF such knowledge We're
universal, less misunderstanding
and suspicion, which serve only to
handicap the industry, would pro-
vail and the country hide pro-
Queer would be placed on a more
equal footing with the buyer and
would be able to demand for his
offerings proper prices in &C.
cordance with their quality.
Marketing Standard Needed.
At present there is no recog-
nized standard of classification
for hides and skins originating IN
all sections of the country. This
is due partly to former haphazard
methods of marketing and party
to the alleged differences in the
quality and condition of these
products in different sections Of
tthe country. 1t is asserted that
the conditions which produce
those differences on which price
differentials are based are notice
able especially in the grain, tex
ture. thickness, spread. and quai-
ity of the leather, and that they
are caaused largely by climatic
conditions. methods of handlinr
cattle, kinds Of cattle, kinds of
feed, methods of feeding, ticks,
gruhs brands, environment. and
the methods employed in SHINING.
curing, and marketing the hides.
These VARYING conditions have
caused the hide trade to divide
the United States into nine sec
tons for country hides and skins
only, and as result the prices
-. similar classes and weights
for country hides and skins vary
according to the sections Of orig
in. Only hides of finest quality
are used for betting, harness, car
riage, and furniture leather which
command the highest pricc
Other hides are discounted in
price because of injuries caused
by grubs. ticks, brands, and me-
chanical imperfections. A great
loss results each year from the
practice of branding cattle. as the
brands are often applied to both
sides of the animal. anywhere
from the shoulder to the tail, and
are applied so deeply that the
scars are visible on the under or
flesh side. If lighter branding
were practiced and could be con-
fined to areas of the hide less va
liable for leather purposes, such
as the neck and shoulders, less
damage would be done.
Every agency which operates
to deliver these materials at the
tannerv as expeditiously and as
inexpensively as possible should
be reflected in lower levels in the
price of the finished leather goods.
The large packers have a decided
marketing advantage over small
producers because they deal in
large numbers of hides and skins,
and as a result can sort and class
ifv them in marketing lots and
sell them directly to the tannery.
or else through some intermediary
such as the hide broker or the
tanners buyer. The extremely
scattered sources and the COM
paratively small individual pro-
duction of country hides and
skins make it impossible for the
country hide producer to obtalnl
this advantage. These widely
scattered materials first must be
collected and classified in large
lots. They pass through many
hands. each one Of which exacts
its toll. :.
The direct consignment method
II