No. 216.] 189 



No. of Time of 



sides. tanning. 



Months. Days. 



1841 — Matamoras, 1,100 5 -- 



« 2,300 5 20 



SanJuan, 6,500 4 15 



Montevideo, 5,800 4 -- 



1842— Honduras, 3,600 6 20 



Buenos Ayres, 10,500 6 10 



Chagres, 1,700 6 -- 



1843 — Orinoco, 1,100 5 -- 



Montevideo, 2,700 5 -- 



Rio Grande, 5,800 4 20 



1844— Buenos Ayres, 6,500 6 20 



Orinoco, 5,400 7 -- 



California, 1,200 6 20 



Buenos Ayres, 900 7 10 



" 6,500 5 10 



Orinoco, 1,500 4 20 



RioGrande, 2,100 5 -- 



" 4,000 5 10 



Orinoco, 2,800 6 10 



Laguira, - -- 5,100 7 



RioGrande, 1,100 7 -- 



Buffalo, 2,000 5 -- 



Buenos Ayres, 2,000 6 - - 



RioGrande, 8,500 6 10 



From the above table, it will be seen the average time of tanning 

 in 1842, was five months and seventeen days; of 1843, five months 

 and twenty-two days; of 1844, six months; and of 1845, six 

 months and eleven days. Average of the whole time, five months 

 and twenty-seven days. The average w^eight of the leather was over 

 eighteen and one-half pounds per side. This, according to the best 

 authorities we have at hand, is considerably below the time employ- 

 ed in England. There, it is no uncommon thing for eight and ten 

 months to be employed in tanning a stock of leather, and some of 

 the heaviest leather, it is said, takes even fourteen and eighteen 

 months. Such deliberation undoubtedly insures a fine quality of 

 leather, but it may be questioned whether there is not a great loss 

 in the increase of weight; a loss of interest on capital, and in con- 

 sequence an unnecessary enhancement of price, whi"ch does not suit 

 the American market. 



