ANIMAL RESOURCES AND FISHERIES OP UNITED STATES. 213 



£ieather prepared from iBiamuistl sS^in^. 



Series of different leathers illustrating the uianufacture of gloves : 



First into vats, low sunken in the ground, 



Tlic rattling skins are thrown witli husky sound, 



And there ior days are suftered to remain. 



Until the water permeates the grain, 



And their whole yielding form and texture make 



Pliant and supple, littiug them to break. 



Prone o'er the slantiug beam the breaker plies, 



With long two-handled knife, his energies 



All the adhering flesh to clean away. 



His is the hardest work and poorest pay. 



Flesh-liming, or the hairing jirocess called, 



Is next in order and is next installed. 



Upon the tlesh-side of the broken skin 



Quick-lime is sjn-ead and safely folded in ; 



Then in the soak or water vat with care 



'T is placed ten days for loosening the hair, 



And Avheu 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. 



Prizing requires the beam and knife again, 



To shave clean off the cuticle or grain. 



Parching is used for heavy skins alone. 



The meaning of the term is drying down ; 



Not in the fervors of the scorcliing sun, 



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



A soaking theu ensues until 



They 're softer made and titted for tlie mill. 



Milling in order next succeeds, of course. 



Placed in the stock, by steam or water forco 



The skins are briskly run six hours or more 



To supple them and open every pore, 



Theu 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 



Tlie 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 substance or reticular 



Tissue of the skin is shaved oft' bare. 



The process then, to perfect and to crown, 



Requires a day at most for drying down. 



Next in lye-liquor vats they 're placed awhile, 



In vulgar parlance, 'for to cut the ile' ; 



But by the chymie laAv affinity 



The oil gelatinous and alkali 



Coml)ine, without a figure or a trope. 



And form the useful product Ave 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 process next applies. 



Fast in the perch the jjendent skin being placed, 



(Jrasped by the hand and firmly shoulder-braced, 



The arm-stake theu is vigorously applied 



To supple and extend the leathery hide. 



While the knee-stake isxmore suitably found 



Fitted to stretch and smooth the edges round. 



Ocher Avitli water mixed, Avhen dii:'d enough 



And iuto square blocks fashioned, is called buif, 



