29 



harness, can be obtained in quantity, and are well 

 adapted to the process. The skins of ill-fed sheep 

 and cattle that come to market hide-bound from 

 the mountain districts, as well as those of aged cat- 

 tle in general, are also strong and fibrous enough 

 for the purpose ; but what I would prefer to all 

 other (from the description I have received) are ox 

 hides split very thin and evenly by the patent ma- 

 chine. 



" In Birmingham, I am informed, this branch of 

 the leather manufacture is well understood. In 

 Dublin, we have but one splitting machine, and 

 that is only constructed for splitting sheep skins. 

 These, from the improvement that has taken place 

 in our breed of sheep, are generally so full of fat, 

 that they are quite unfit to act as a test in this case, 

 the oil shielding the skin from the action of the 

 tan, and where it exists in the greatest quantity, 

 along the back and across the neck, retarding the 

 evaporation of moisture during the two drying 

 processes, and consequently leading to false results. 



" Calfskins, shaven down to the thinness of split 

 sheep skins, are free enough from oil, but the fibre 

 is in general so delicate, that it is liable to be injur- 

 ed, and partially dissolved, or rather dispersed 

 through the warm water during the softening and 

 swelling, preparatory to steeping in the astringent 

 infusion. I found that several lots of this skin, 

 previously dried and weighed for experiment, 

 though beautifully transparent, and apparently 

 perfect in every way, lost seven per cent, of loose 

 gelatine when handled in tepid water. Thus this spe- 

 cies of skin also appears improper for the purpose. 



