Other Products of the Goat. 245 



knife, and the hide placed to dry, the hair side inward, 

 in a covered airy place free from damp. To prevent it 

 from shrinking, the head and tail ends should be stretched 

 out and nailed on a board, and the leg parts spread out 

 with skewers. 



Skins are sometimes preserved with salt and dried 

 afterwards, but salt should not be used where it is intended 

 to convert them subsequently into leather, as it never 

 becomes thoroughly eradicated. The process of salting 

 consists of laying the skins flat on the ground and well 

 sprinkling the flesh side with salt and alum, more par- 

 ticularly on the edges and spinal portions. They are 

 then folded by being doubled, first lengthwise down the 

 centre, and then one fold over the other until a square is 

 formed ; they will keep good in this manner for a con- 

 siderable time, and may be dried afterwards. Any furrier 

 would dress the skin for a small sum. 



Goat-skins tanned and transformed into leather are 

 valuable for the uppers of boots and shoes, being soft, 

 elastic, durable, and damp-resisting. To procure the 

 genuine article is, I believe, by no means easy, and when 

 obtainable it fetches a high price, being much dearer than 

 ordinary calf, or what is commonly called kid. Persons 

 keeping their own goats have therefore an advantage in 

 this respect. The difficulty is to get the skins tanned, 

 most tanners refusing to take in the small number that a 

 private individual has ready at a time. As for tanning 

 them oneself, it is entirely out of the question, the process 

 being varied and complicated, requiring at the same time a 

 considerable amount of skill ; besides which the cost of 

 materials would, for the few skins to be tanned, be con- 

 siderably greater than their ultimate value. Dressing 

 them roughly with the hair on, for mats and such purposes, 

 is, however, easier, and may be effected as follows : 



First, the skins should be soaked in water for about 



