546 MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



water and placed in piles to "sammie," or to become uniformly moist. When in 

 the proper moist condition the stock is transferred to a mill and 4 per cent of 

 cod oil introduced. The drum is set in motion, and after it has run for 1 hour 

 another 4 per cent of oil is added. At the end of 2 hours more all the oil should 

 have been absorbed; then a third and final portion of 4 per cent is placed in the 

 drum. The final milling should require about 3 hours, after which the skins are 

 taken out and piled down over night. 



The following day the stock is hung up and allowed to become thoroughly dry. 

 The skins are then dampened uniformly and again piled down to temper. This 

 time considerable heat is generated as a result of oxidation of the oil; therefore, 

 care must be taken to avoid overheating and consequent damage to the stock. 

 At the end of 24 hours the skins are again hung up to dry in a room, the tempera- 

 ture of which is about 140° F (60° C). If oxidation is not complete, the stock is 

 again dampened, tempered, and stoved. By this time the skins should be thor- 

 oughly tanned and are dampened, oiled off with mineral oil, and rolled. 



Hair-Seal Products 



Hair seals do not have the fine under fur that characterizes fur seals, and com- 

 paratively little use is made of these skins in clothing; a few are used in the 

 manufacture of sport garments, but the demand is extremely limited. Their pri- 

 mary use is as leather for the manufacture of small bags, wallets, and similar 

 articles. Some are made into "climbers" for skis. 



Sealskins taken in the Newfoundland fishery are landed with the underlying 

 layer of blubber intact. This is removed, either by hand or by machine, and the 

 oil is extracted by steam, after which it is stored in settling tanks. Hair-seal oil 

 production in Newfoundland reached its maximum in 1926 when more than 

 336,000 imperial gallons were produced. The loss of the United States market 

 in 1934 and subsequent economic difficulties led to a decline in this production 

 to only 34,000 imperial gallons in 1945. The principal use in the United States 

 for hair-seal blubber oil was in soap manufacture, although considerable quantities 

 were used also in the leather industry and in lubricants. 



Hair-seal carcasses are not used in the Newfoundland fishery, except occasion- 

 ally as food by the sealers. The nature of sealing operations makes it impractical 

 to pick up the carcasses after the kill, and they are left behind on the ice. Since 

 they could be reduced to meal and oil by the same methods employed in the 

 utilization of fur-seal carcasses at the Pribilof Islands, the Newfoundland hair- 

 seal fishery may some day find factory ships in operation for the more complete 

 utilization of the resource. 



Miscellaneous Leathers 



Whale-Hide Leather. The hide of a whale, like the skin of a porpoise, carries 

 a very heavy blubber. The hide itself is much thicker than porpoise, but up to 

 the present time no satisfactory use has been found for it. It may be tanned by 

 the same methods as porpoise leather. 



Alligator Leather. The natural markings of alligator hides give them an excep- 

 tionally attractive appearance when tanned. The leather made from them is soft 

 and pliable, yet tough and wear-resistant. They are valued for hand luggage, 

 ladies' bags, billfolds, and shoes, and are readily dyed and take a high polish. 



