LEATHER-MAKING. 363 



The leather, however, is to be regarded rather as a novelty than 

 as a permanent addition to the industry. American tanners, too, 

 have been quick to learn the methods of making the best of the 

 foreign varieties of leather, and in some cases they have even im- 

 proved on the original processes. Among these leathers of for- 

 eign origin are russia, a strong and pliant variety, generally of a 

 red or black color, and with a peculiarly penetrating odor due to 

 the oil of birch ; and Cordovan, a small-grained, soft leather, 

 which takes its name from the Spanish city of Cordova. It was 

 from the gradual modification and improvement of this last that 

 the so-termed morocco leather has resulted. This, with its brill- 

 iant colors and beautiful finish, has come to be very widely used. 

 The manufacture of it is carried on in nearly all places where the 

 leather industry flourishes at all, but the centers of the business 

 are at Philadelphia, Pa., Newark, 1ST. J., Wilmington, Del., and 

 Lynn, Mass. 



The distribution of the tanneries in this country, and as a re- 

 sult the centers of the leather trade, has been largely determined 

 by the distribution of tanning materials. Tannin, the active vege- 

 table principle of tanning, has been found in a wide variety of 

 plants and trees. As a matter of fact, however, the only sub- 

 stances used largely here are the bark of the oak, the hemlock, 

 and the sumach. Hemlock bark is found generally north of central 

 Pennsylvania, throughout northern New York, north of Lake 

 Michigan, and through Maine and Canada. Oak bark, on the 

 other hand, is found abundantly in the vicinity of the Cumber- 

 land and Alleghany Mountains, and the lesser ranges of the Blue 

 Ridge, while the sumach flourishes in Virginia and Maryland. 

 Southern sumach, however, is not so highly esteemed as that 

 obtained from Sicily, and much of this is imported. Some other 

 varieties of tanning materials also are imported, like terra ja- 

 ponica, but the staff of the tanner in this country is the oak and 

 hemlock. It is in those sections of the country that the tanneries 

 are found. New York is the largest general leather market in 

 the United States, while Boston stands close to it, especially in 

 upper leather. Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Chicago, and Baltimore, 

 too, are leading trade centers. The growth of the industry has 

 been very marked since 18(30. In 1850 the total product of leather 

 in the United States was valued at $32,861,796, and the capital in- 

 vested was estimated at $18,900,557. New York State stood at the 

 head of the list, with an output valued at $9,804,000; while Penn- 

 sylvania came next, with $5,275,492 ; and Massachusetts third, 

 with $3,519,123. In 1880 the value of the output had increased to 

 $113,348,336, and the capital invested to $50,222,034. There were 

 then 3,105 tanneries in the country. The position of the six lead- 

 ing States is well represented by this table : 



