296 RErOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



ISTT it was $5.50, and gradually decreased to $2.25 in 188<!; it increased 

 to $7.50 in 1897, and in 1900 it averaged $0.50 pei- pound. Single 

 sales have })een made as high as $14 per pound. The total product of 

 nutria fur used in hat-manufacturing in 1!>00 is estimated at 80,000 

 l)ounds, \alued at $520,000. It is clainnMl that a single manufacturer 

 in Philad('lj)hia has at times over a million nuti'ia skins in warehouse. 



Otter raidcs next in grade among felting furs, l)ut oidy a small 

 quantity of this kind is used, and that is o])tained from fur-cutters' 

 waste. The clip])ings and Avaste sell for about 45 cents ])cr pound, and 

 the cut and blown fur for al)out $3.50 })er jjound. The (juantity used 

 ]>\' hat-manufacturei's annually [)ro))ably ap})roxiniates 700 pounds. 



]\iuskrat fur is used extensively in hat-making, the whole skin as well 

 as cutters' waste ])eing utilized. Like beaver fur, it is assorted into 

 three grades — ])acks, sides, and bellies — on account t)f ditlerence in color 

 and texture. The belly fur is the choicest and is used for making light 

 or pearl hats. During the last 25 ^^ears the price has ranged from 

 $1.80 to $3.25 pel- pound, averaging about $2. In 1876 it Avas $2.25, 

 from which it vai'ied liitle till 1890, when it l)egan to increase, reaching 

 $3.25 in 1892, and since then it has steadily decreased to the present 

 price, $1.80 per pound. The cutters' waste sells for 35 to 10 cents per 

 pound and the blown fur for $1.30 to $2 per pound. The standai-d 

 mixed grade of blown muskrat fur usually sells for 30 or 10 cents less 

 per pound than the ])elly fur, while dyed nuiskrat sells usually for one- 

 third the price of cut Ijcll}", or al)out 00 cents per pound. 



A small (Quantity of mink fur is used by the hat-manufacturers, the 

 amount not exceeding 1,500 pounds annually, obtained entireh' from 

 cutters' waste, no whole skins whatever being used for this purpose. 

 Mink fur is rather poor for felting, as may be inferred from the price 

 at which it sells, the clippings fetching a))out 15 cents and the blown 

 fur about $1.10 per pound, or onl}' one-sixth the price of beaver. 



The cheapest aquatic fur received by the hatters is that of the fur- 

 seal, of which probabl}' 5,000 pounds are used aniuially. This is 

 obtained almost exclusively from cutters' waste of dyed clippings, and 

 when cut and blown sells for about 75 cents per pound. 



The preparation of all of these furs for felting ])urposes is practically 

 the same in each case. Preparatory to cutting them from the whole 

 skins, the pelts are scoured thoroughly with soap water to remove the 

 grease and other impurities, then they are properly diied and plucked, 

 each one of these several processes being performed in nuich the same 

 manner as in the fur-dressing establishments, except that it is done with 

 greater expedition and less care. The overhairs are of no value in 

 felting, and are sold as stuffing in upholstery, for plasterers' use, etc. 

 The plucked skins are next carroted, consisting in moistening the fur 

 with a solution of quicksilver and nitric acid or chloride of mercury, 

 and then spreading them out flat to dry. This is done either in the 

 open air or in rooms heated by steam, according to the color desired. 



