Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-10

knows that country hides are fire.
quently removed by unskilled work.
men and are often cut and scored
When such hides come from a tan
ner, scores show very plainly and in
many cases one-half of the thick
ness of the leather is lost by suciI
defects. Imperfections can be avoid
ed and the farmer can make more
money by careful use of the skin
ming knife, by keeping the hides
clean and free from blood, and by
proper storage and packing.
How to Skin Animals
When animals are skinned on the
formed on a clean, hard spot under
a tree, if possible, or, if done in
doors, in a room with a concrete
floor. The limb of a tree may be
used for suspending the carcass, but
when the hides are removed indoors
The animals should be cleaned off,
curried and brushed thoroughly, in
order to remove all dirt. The skim
ming knife should be sharp, though
it should not be used any more than
is absolutely necessary. The use of
off calf skins, except on the head,
neck, legs, and TANKS, as the body
skin may be drawn or listed off.
Where it is necessary to use the
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
wooden stick shaped like a mans
thumb, and employ knife only on
the portions of the body mentioned.
. .-' Head is Skinned First
The. first operation in removing
hide is to skin the animals head,
done while the animal is still sus-
pended. Always keep the hide free
from meat, as one of the common
faults of country hides is the pres
ence of more or less meat, usually
cheek meat. The next step in the
operation is to lower the animal on
it's 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, making
a neat, straight rip, free from jagged
edges: The sides are then skinned,
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.
Blood is Objectionable on hides.
likely to cause the hair to slip from
rotting or decomposition when the
hides are packed. This may result
in having otherwise good hides
placed in the No. 2 grade on the
market. Care should be taken to
avoid placing any hides in the pack
until they are free from animal
heat. Allow them to lie folded from
three to five hours or sufficiently
long to allow the animal heat to
get out of them If this is not done
patches of decomposition may re-
suit and such hides, though care
fully removed, may be reduced in
market value at least 1 per cent or
more a pound.
Preparing Hides for Market
The preparation of hides and
skins for market is of great impor-
prepared and shipped they are sub
ject to great deterioration. AS a
rule hides are folded with the hair
side out. 1t is essential to fold in
the head and neck on the body of
the hide, flesh surfaces together. and
to turn in the tail in a similar man
ner. Then a narrow fold should be
made on each side by throwing back
the body edges and legs, keeping
the lines of the folds parallel.
In building up pack of hides the
outer edges should be kept a little
nSner than the mlddle so that the
liquid or brine, formed by the dis
solving of the salt in the natural
moisture of the hides, may be alb
sorbed by them If the pack is low
outside, oris built slanting like a
shed roof, the brine will seep out
causing the hides to shrink in
weight In preparing hides for mar
ket, use salt that is free from large
Jumps or dirt. Dirty salt will stain
the flesh side of hides. One pound
of salt to each pound of the hide
is the rule.
If the hides are to be stored they
should be placed in cool ESQ to SIS
degrees Fahrenheit) cellars from
which the outside air is excluded.