Year: 1876

Important Hints Relating to Leather.


One may suppose that the antiquity of
n subject which can be traced to the heroes


of fable, clothed 10 the skins of large ami


mails (Which had to be prepared before


they could be used for adornment and


clothing,) and a subject which Scripture


mentions and history has preserved for us,
and which so enters into the daily neces-
stiles and comforts of man that nothing


new can be said about it, and therefore il
cannot prove interesting. But old facts


have to be brushed mp, like old silver, and
made to appear fresh and new again.


1t has been computed that leather has


become SO prominent an article of COM
merce that ii now ranks third in importance
among our manufactures. There is an
immense slaughtering going on 10 this
country, and, as the millions Of mechanics
and laboring classes are enabled to con-
sumo large quantity Of animal food, and,
owing to the immense increase in popula-
ton, the demand for food is increasing to
such an extent that high prices have been


maintained. Our farmers are taking ad-
vantage of these high rates, and are turn
ing their attention more and more towards
their Hocks and herds, and we find our
home demand for leather not sufficient to
consume the immense supply. Therefore
large portion is finding its way across
the Atlantic, and being distributed among
the nations Of Europe. The steer is the
most desirable hide for harness leather,
being thick enough for the use Of our
country. Most of the young and healthy
cattle are brought to our commercial cities,
as better prices are here realized. Heal
thy cattle always have the best hides. 1t
is often owing to the inferior quality of
the animal, the careless treatment, poor
feeding or killing the animal when too old
that causes the inferiority of country
leather The OK hide is the thickest and
best for the use of sole leather, but this
animal is often so badly used that the
hides are frequently covered with scars.


Cor hides are also used, but are small and

not so well suited for heavy use. They
are generally made up into bride and shoe
upper leather. Well-bred cattle, like race
horses, have very thin hides, and it is an
acknowledged fact that cattle which roam
in semi-wild State, as over the wilds Of
Texas and the pampas of South America,
have thicker hides. II has been discov-
cred that the farther south Of the Equator
the thicker the hides.


One great advantage the South Ameri-
can hides have over our own is the freedom
from the grub, which is the egg of the
sad fly, and which this insect deposits
under the skin Of young cattle during the
months of July and August, causing them
to run wild with terror when being stuug;
these eggs enlarge the skin Of the animal,
and cause it to swell, which produces the
familiar swelling or tumor, until about the
month of May, when the skin breaks and
the insect falls of into the grass, and re.
mains until about the first of July, when
it develops into perfect fy-the enemy
to good hides and the terror to cattle.
The bison is particularly troubled by this
fly, and most buffalo robes are perforated
more or less (like shot holes) by this cause. |


The first process in the order of tanning
is to separate the hair from the hide. One |
means is to place the hides in vault or |
covering made Of earth, and hang them |
up in it, and to allow stream Of water in |
summer and steam in winter to enter at |
the four corners Of the roof-the yapor |
arising collects on the hides, which causes |
the hair to slip; this is the American plan.
Another process is to steep the hide in a
solution Of lime, and thu action Of the
milk Of lime loosens the hair; the action
of the lime also removes a portion Of the |
gelatine, which constitutes one of the best
Of good leather, aud is one Of
the reasons Of English harness leather
cracking when subjected to our dry Amer.
lean climate. When lime is used Il is
necessary to remove all the particles the
hide may have absorbed. Sometimes |
bran, meal, or some other farinaceous mat
ter is mixed with water, and allowed TO
remain until an acid is formed; the hides
are put into this solution, which combines
with the lime to make il soluble; the hides
are then washed. iScf, clear sDater should
ai'cays be used The finest French calf
skins arc sent to Switzerland to be tanned
in the soft mountain water


Sometimes weak solution Of sulphuric
acid is used to remove lime from hides,
but i Is considered injurious to the leath- |
er, causing il 70 be injured by damp. |
Harness, which requires 50 much washing,
frequently Is test If it has been used IN |