Current Literature. 467 



Forest Products of Canada, ipog: Tan Bark and Tanning Ex- 

 tract Used. By H. R. MacMillan. Bulletin 20, Forestry Branch. 

 Ottawa, Canada. 191 1. Pp. 6. 



The total value of the vegetable tanning materials used by 

 Canadian tanneries in 1909 was $1,126,004, consisting of 76,792 

 cords of bark, valued at $646,679; 17,313,500 pounds of liquid 

 extract, valued at $428,283; and 1,372,470 pounds of raw tannins, 

 valued at $51,042. This represents about 90 per cent, of the real 

 consumption. 



The tanning industry is confined chiefly to the eastern prov- 

 inces. Ontario with 36 tanneries used materials to the extent of 

 66.7 per cent, of the total value of all materials used in Canada; 

 Quebec with 26 tanneries, 23.6 per cent. ; Nova Scotia with 2 tan- 

 neries, 6.5 per cent. ; and New Brunswick with 3 tanneries, the 

 remainder. 



The supply of easily accessible hemlock has been used up and 

 the importation of tanning materials has become common. Thus, 

 in 1909, bark represented only 57.4 per cent, of the value of the 

 total tannins used. The use of hemlock bark was most general in 

 New Brunswick where it constituted 73.4 per cent, of the value 

 of the materials used in that province ; in Quebec it constituted 

 64.5 per cent., in Ontario 54.5 per cent., and in Nova Scotia 44.1 

 per cent. The average cost per cord at the tannery was $8.42. 



Liquid extracts represented by value 38 per cent, of the ma- 

 terials used in 1909. The average value was 2.5 cents per pound. 

 The most largely used were quebracho, oak, hemlock, and chest- 

 nut, all being imported except the hemlock extract. A few tan- 

 neries import their materials in the raw, chiefly quebracho. 



The two chief tanning agents used in Canada are hemlock and 

 quebracho. The former is the only home produced tannin, con- 

 stituting 61. 1 per cent, of the value of the total tannins used. The 

 other 38.9 per cent., over half of it quebracho, is imported chiefly 

 from the United States and South and Central America. 



Besides the above materials used at home, Canada exports hem- 

 lock bark and its extract, the former going all to United States, 

 and the latter, to the extent of 90 per cent, to the United King- 

 dom. In 1909 there were exported 19,659 cords of bark valued at 

 $122,118, and 3,299,500 pounds of extract valued at $79,437, 

 Both exports are steadily falling off. The total value of tanning 



