182 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



Best Skins Come From Louisiana 



"The Florida skins are longer in the body — measured 

 from the fore legs to the hind legs — than those from Lou- 

 isiana or Mexico and consequently are largely in demand 

 by manufacturers of large handbags. They also have a 

 larger number of so-called 'buttons' or 'corn marks' on the 

 inside or under-surface of an equal number of scutes re- 

 sulting from imbedded horn-like tissues in the center of 

 those scales. These increase the difficulty in tanning the 

 skins and detract somewhat from the appearance of the 

 finished article, and for this reason the Florida skins are 

 ordinarily the cheapest on the market. The farther south 

 the skins are secured in Florida the greater the number of 

 'corn marks' and those from the vicinity of Key West are 

 almost valueless for this reason. 



"The Louisiana skins differ from those of Florida in 

 the absence of the 'corn marks,' and from both the Florida 

 and Mexican skins in being more pliable and having the 

 scales more artistically curved and shaped. Consequently 

 Louisiana skins are preferred for such small articles as 

 cardcases and pocketbooks and usually sell at the highest 

 prices. Skins secured in Mississippi and Texas are similar 

 to those secured in Louisiana, while those from Georgia and 

 South Carolina are similar to those from Florida, except 

 that the 'corn markings' are not so numerous. All of the 

 Louisiana skins show greater uniformity of coloring, being 

 of a bluish black on the upper surface and a peculiar bluish 

 whi'e on the underside." The tanning and finishing proc- 

 esses give the commercial article its yellowish color, it 

 m'ght be explained. 



Only the "bellyskin" is used. The skin is removed soon 

 after the killing, as putrefaction sets in almost immediately 

 in our warm climate, and the value of the skin is thus de- 

 preciated. The "bellyskin" is removed by two longitudinal 

 incisions just below the horny portion of the back; and the 

 flesh side of the skin thoroughly rubbed with salt and 

 rolled up with the salted side inside, and shipped to the 

 market. Care is taken not to cut the hide since small cuts 

 not noticed in the raw skins become conspicuous when it 

 is tanned and dressed. Louisiana skins obtain the highest 

 price in the markets and those from Florida the lowest. 



