Hides and Skins. 809 



HIDES AND SKINS. 



Usefvil Hints on Flaying. 



Under the title " Butchering and Flaying," a helpful article was 

 published in the March, 1919, issue of the Journal of Industries, and 

 as there is room for much improvement in our methods of treating 

 hides and skins (we referred to this subject in our issue for April, 

 1920, under the heading "Curing of Hides"), we commend to the 

 careful attention of our farmers and others concerned, the following 

 advice taken from the article referred to. In studying the accom- 

 panying illustrations, which are all of cattle and their hides, it should 

 be noted that they apply equally well — and often more so — to sheep, 

 lambs, and calves. 



Flaying in general can be summed up in a few words — see that 

 the knives used are suitable and in good order, and keep them out of 

 the hide or pelt when skinning. 



Do not skin the legs down to the hoofs, but cut off at the rings 

 shown in the sketches. This lower part of the hide is useless to the 

 tanner. 



Hides and skins are perisliahle goods, and great loss is often 

 sustained through their being spoiled for want of attention. At the 

 outset of their treatment they should be properly cooled. Do not lay 

 them in heaps when warm. If possible, hang sheepskins on hooks, and 

 spread hides out till their natural heat is gone. Keep them in a cool 

 place cut of the sun. Do not let them get wet. Hides and skins 

 that have been cooled, if allowed to get wet and put in heaps, will 

 rapidly generate heat and decompose ; a few hours is sufficient to do 

 much damage. These precautions are absolutely necessary in hot 

 weather, but even in the colder months hides and skins will spoil 

 if allowed to lie in heaps when warm or wet. When not seiit off 

 immediately during warm weather, and after they have been cooled, 

 they should be sprinkled on the flesh side with salt, which should be 

 spread evenly all over. It is essential that the edges and shanks 

 should be opened out and salted as well as the middle of the hide or 

 skin. 



If once allowed to get tainted nothing can restore the damage 

 done, which shows even when the hide or skin is converted into 

 leather, while, on the other hand, if due attention is given to them 

 immediately after skinning in the slaughterhouse, there is less risk 

 of their going wrong at later stages. 



Sometimes hides or skins are used to scald an occasional pig upon. 

 Naturally the process scalds the hide or skin beneath as well as the 

 pig, thereby completely spoiling the hide or pelt. It is actually 

 much cheaper to buy a proper scalding trough. 



