JIEPOHT OF THE BUli: r ,A(J OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



421 



where decomposition sets in. The pits are kept damp and warm. In 

 five to seven days the hair starts; they are then taken out and worked 

 in hide-mills, which forces nearly all the hair off. Some tanners 

 lime a little after sweating. When hair and ilesh are removed, sides 

 are thrown into water, colored, plumped in acid-vats forty-eight 

 hours, then washed, oiled, dried, dampened, sammied, and rolled. 

 Most of the sole-leather exported is made by this process. 



The following table shows the number of pounds of cole-leather 

 exported for ten years past and its value: 



HARNESS-LEATHER. 



Domestic steer-hides, free from brands, scores, or horn scratches, 

 are used for making harness-leather. The hides are washed, green 

 fleshed, and limed five days by reeling over from one lime- vat to 

 another, the last vat having the strongest lime water; then put in 

 a fresh-water pool, and worked through an unhairing-machine to 

 cleanse thoroughly of lime and hair; then hung on frames in vats 

 containing weak liquors for three weeks After this some split the 

 hide into sides, others wait until the tanning process is completed. 

 After the manipulation of the hides or sides, they are handled two 

 weeks with tanning liquors, then laid away in liquor and bark from 

 seventy-five to ninety days, then taken out, washed, shaved on the 

 flesh, scoured by machine, partially dried, and then set out to make 

 a firm grain; stuffed with fish oil and tallow on the flesh side, dried, 

 blackened on the grain with dye made from copperas and liquors, 

 and then finished by having all the grease taken oil by slickers and 

 brushes. 



Bridle-leather is finished same as harness, but is trimmed close. 



Russett skirting is bleached after it leaves the scouring-machine, 

 and otherwise finished like harness, only ur;ing lens grease. 



Harness-leather is sold as "long harness;" which is the whole side 

 with the belly off, or as "harness backs," in which all the offal is 

 trimmed off. It is exported to Europe to some extent, but mostly in 

 the manufactured state. 



The exports of saddlery and harness for the past four years have 

 been in value : 



1885 



1880. . 



$178,411 

 190,891 



1S87. 

 1838. 



$193, 153 

 I'.Jo. 522 



CALF-SKINS. 



f Green calf -skins are washed in a vat, then handled in a solution of 

 lime and water about a week to loosen the hair, then unli aired over 

 the beam, put in a bate of hen manure for about twenty-four hours, 

 after which they are washed out and worked over the beam to clear 

 them, and put in col or irg-w heels to set the color; then into tan 

 liquors and handled, from one Date to another, for sixty days, taken 



