438 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



who intends driving frequently and possessing harness- 

 horses of his own, might very well, for once in a 

 way, condescend to inquire into the nature of a material 

 of which he makes so great a use. The hides of 

 steers or heifers make the best leather for harness after 

 being well tanned with the bark of the oak-tree, which 

 a writer on the subject says imparts a light brown 

 colour to the leather, makes it firm with an even grain, 

 and, to a certain extent, allows the hide to retain its 

 softness. There are many methods employed in tan- 

 ning leather ; but many produce a rough hide, and 

 cause leather to swell after being exposed to rain. 

 There is no process equal to oak-bark tanning ; by its 

 use we obtain the lightest, strongest, and most pliable 

 leather ; it is closer grained, and is dressed better 

 after use. After tanning, the hide is termed " rough 

 leather," and from this the various kinds of harness 

 are produced. Merely tanning leather will not, how- 

 ever, fit it for the harness-maker's use ; it must be 

 subjected to another process, termed " currying," by 

 which the leather is made soft, pliable, and durable. 

 As harness-makers require their hides as level as 

 possible, those that are smooth, free from cuts or 

 injuries are chosen for the best harness or rein leather, 

 and being exceedingly difficult to obtain, they are 

 worth twenty per cent, more than an ordinary hide of 

 equal weight. After going through several processes 

 the hide is laid out on a table, and dubbing (a mixture 

 of tallow and cod-oil) is applied to it ; after this it is 

 hung up to dry, but not until the dubbing or oil is 

 made to penetrate every pore, whereby the hide is 

 rendered still more pliable and durable, and in a capital 

 state to resist wet. And it must be borne In mind 

 that leather, unless it possesses a certain amount of oil^ 



