ANIMAL RESOURCES AND FISHERIES OF UNITED STATES. 213 



licathei* prepared iroiu inniiiisial 8kin§. 



Scries of different leathers illustrating the manufacture of gloves : 



First into vats, low suijk<'u in the j^round, 



The rattling .skin.s aru tlirown with hu«ky sound, 



And tlierii for <layH are .sulFered to remain, 



Until the water pernicateij the grain, 



And their whole yichlinj;- ibrni and texture make 



Pliant and suiij)le, li)lin<;- them to break. 



Prone o'er the slautJiiu; Ix-^uni the breaker plies, 



With long two-h;nidled knil'e, his energies 



All the adhering llesh to clean away. 



His is the hardest work and jjoorest jjay. 



Flesh-liming, or the hairing jirocess called, 



Is next in order and is next installed. 



Upon the flesh-side of the broken skin 



Qnick-lime is spn^ad and safely folded in ; 



Then in the soak or water vat with care 



'T is placed ten days for loosening the hair, 



And when the beam and knife again are proved 



The hairy coat is easily removed. 



In lime-vats next the skins are put to lime ; 



From one to six weeks is the allotted time. 



This process, perfected by low degrees, 



Thickens the skins and smooths the surfaces. 



Frizing requires the beam and knife again, 



To shave clean off the cuticle or grain. 



Parching is used for Iie^ivy skins alone. 



The meaning of the term is drying down ; 



Not in tlie fervoi-s of the scorching sun, 



But in the shade alone, 't is safely done. 



A soaking then ensues until 



They 're softer made and titted for the milL 



Milling in order next succeeds, of course. 



Placed in the stock, by steam ot water force 



The skins are briskly run six hours or more 



To supple them and open every pore, 



Then taken out to air. With oil imbued. 



Replaced again, and milling is renewed. 



Each half hour afterward alternately 



They 're in the stocks or out to air and dry. 



Until throughout the substance of the skin 



The oil commingles with the gelatine 



Or glue, and leaves the other parts together 



The true and genuine product we call leather. 



The beam and scuddiug-knife again are jilied 



For scudding on the grain or facial side. 



The mucous substanee or reticular 



Tissue of the skin is shaved oli' bare. 



The process then, to perfect and to crown, 



Requires a day at most for drying down. 



Next in lye-li(inor vats they 're placed awhile, 



In vulgar pai'lance, 'for to cut the ile'; 



But by the chymie law affinity 



The oil gelatinous and alkali 



Combine, without a tigure or a trope. 



And form the useful ])rodu(!t we call soap. 



A half hour in the stocks the skins being run, 



The soap washed out, and thus the scouring 's done. 



To soften, to give shape, and natural size, 



Duly the stacking ])rocess next aj)plie8. 



Fast in the ])(>rcli the pendent skin lieing placed. 



Grasped by thcliand and linnly shoulder-braced, 



The arm-stake then is vig<»rously ajjplied 



To supple and extend the leathery hide, 



While the kiKse-stake is more suitably ftmnd 



Fitted to stretch and smooth the edges round. 



Ocher with water mixed, when dried enough 



And into S(juare blocks fashioned, is called buff, 



