LEATHER 87 



they must be frequently turned over, and carefully watched, as it is a delicate operation. 

 In the course of two days in summer, and eight in winter, the skins are said to be 

 raised, when they sink in the water. On coming out of the bran they are ready 

 for the white stuff; which is a bath composed of alum and sea-salt. Twelve, fourteen, 

 and sometimes eighteen pounds of alum for 100 skins, form the basis of the bath ; to 

 which two and a half pounds of salt are added in winter, and three in summer. These 

 ingredients are introduced into a copper with twelve gallons of water. The salt aids 

 in the whitening action. When the solution is about to boil, three gallons of it are 

 passed through the cullender into a basin ; in this 26 skins are worked one after 

 another, and, after draining, they are put together into the bath, and left in it for ten 

 minutes to imbibe the salts. They are now ready to receive the paste. For 100 skins, 

 from 13 to 15 pounds of wheat-flour are used, along with the yolks of 50 eggs. After 

 having warmed the alum-bath through which the skins have been passed, the flour is 

 dusted into it, with careful stirring. The paste is well kneaded by the gradual addition 

 of the solution, and passed through the cullender, whereby it becomes as clear as honey. 

 To this the yolks being added, the whole is incorporated with much manual labour. 

 The skins are worked one after another in this paste ; and afterwards the whole to- 

 gether are left immersed in it for a day. They are now stretched and dried upon poles, 

 in a proper apartment, during from 8 to 15 days, according to the season. 



The effects of the paste are to whiten the skins, to soften them, and to protect them 

 from thehardening influence of the atmosphere, which would naturally render them 

 brittle. They would not bear working upon the softening iron, but for the emulsion 

 which has been introduced into their substance. With this view they are dipped in a 

 tub of clear water during five or six minutes, and then spread and worked upon the 

 board. They are increased by this means in length, in the proportion of 5 to 3. No 

 hard points must be left in them. The whiteness is also better brought out by this 

 operation, which is performed upon the flesh side. The softening tool is an iron plate, 

 about 1 foot broad, rounded over above, mounted upon an upright beam, 30 inches 

 high, which is fixed to the end of a strong horizontal plank, 3 J feet long and 1 broad. 

 This plank is heavily loaded, to make it immoveable upon the floor. Sometimes the 

 skins are next spread over an undressed clean skin upon the horse, and worked well 

 with the two-handled knife, for the purpose of removing the first and second epidermis, 

 called the fleur and arriere-fleur by the French megissiers. They are then dried while 

 stretched by hooks and strings. When dry they are worked on the stretching-iron, or 

 they are occasionally polished with pumice-stone. A delicate yellow tint is given by 

 a composition made of two parts of whitening and one of ochre, applied in a moistened 

 state, and well worked in upon the grain side. After being polished with pumice, they 

 are smoothed with a hot iron, as the laundresses do linen, whereby they acquire a 

 degree of lustre, and are ready to be delivered to the glover. 



For housings, the best sheep-skins are selected, and such as are covered with the 

 longest and most beautiful fleece. They are steeped in water, in order to be cleaned 

 and softened ; after which they are thinned inside by the fleshing knife. They are 

 now steeped in an old bran-pit for 3 or 4 days, when they are taken out and washed. 

 They are next subjected to the white or alum-bath, the wool being carefully folded 

 within ; about 18 Ibs. of alum being used for 100 skins. The paste is made as for 

 the fleeced skins, but it is merely spread upon their flesh side, and left upon them for 

 18 hours, so as to stiffen. They are then hung up to dry. They are next moistened 

 by sprinkling cold water upon them, folded up, piled in a heap, and covered with 

 boards weighted with heavy stones ; in which state they remain for two days. They 

 are next opened with a round iron upon the horse, and subjected to the stretching 

 iron, being worked broadwise. They are dried with the fleece outermost, in the sun 

 if possible, and are finished upon the stretcher. 



Calf- and lamb-skins with their hair and wool are worked nearly in the same 

 manner ; only the thicker the skin, the stronger the alum-bath ou^ht to be. One 

 pound of alum and one of salt are required for a single calf-skin. It is left four days 

 in this bath, after which it is worked upon the stretcher, and then fulled. When half 

 dry, the skins are opened upon the horse. In eight days of ordinary weather, they may 

 be completely dressed. Lamb-skins are sometimes steeped during eight days in a 

 bath prepared with unbolted rye-flour and cold water, in which they are daily moved 

 about two or three times. They are then dried, stretched upon the iron, and switched 

 upon the fleecy side. 



Chamois, or Shamoy leather. The skins are first washed, limed, fleeced, and branned 

 as above described. They are next efflowered, that is, deprived of their epidermis by 

 a concave knife, blunt in its middle part, upon the convex horse-beam. _ The cutting 

 part serves to remove all excrescences, and to equalise the thickness, while the blunt 

 part softens and smooths. The skins of goats, does, and chamois are always treated 

 in this way. They are next subjected to the fermenting bran-steep for one or two 



