80 



properly comminuted, and tlie tan well extracted, its 

 amount is enormous. The -whole body of the tree, limbs, 

 twigs and all, are used. 



2d. The tannin is different in its qualities and its ener,a;y 

 as a tanning and antiseptic agent from otiier tantiiiu' 

 materials. Its mode of operating is different from luo-^c 

 others. Instead of being confined to the surfaces, it strikd..-, 

 through and through the hide very promptly. In les^ 

 than five min^^tes, a thick hide will show that it has been 

 pervaded by its influence. A simple fact will illustrate its 

 peculia.rity in this respect. A negro man who was a prac- 

 tical tanner was aske.d by Dr. Park, while at work with 

 his material in tanning, how he liked it. "Why," says 

 he, "massa, it differs from anything I ever saw. Other 

 things tan as they go, but this strikes right through the 

 hide." This peculiarity was manifest to the negro, 

 and struck him with force. When I stopped operations, 

 I had a few hides on hand. They were about half tanned, 

 and have lain in a very weak ooze for eighteen months 

 without any addition of tan. They are as sound now as 

 the day they were put in. There is no difficulty ai, all in 

 tanning hides during the hot months. The preserving 

 property of the article is so strong there is no danger of 

 decomposition. Neither Dr. Park nor myself ever lost 

 any hides, although worked in during the hottest months, 

 while others using bark lost largely. 



3d. With regard to the quality of the leather, I regard 

 it as decidedly better than that made from the usual mate- 

 rials. Workmen in leather pronounce it superior. It is 

 remarkably firm arid durable, outlasting northern leather. 

 This fact is so generally understood, that I could sell any 

 amount of it if I had it on hand. 



4th. Another peculiarity of mesquite ooze is, that no 

 matter how strong it is when the hide is put in, it never 

 burns the leather or causes the grain to crack. Other 

 strong oozes would ruin the leather. We employed an 

 old tanner, who was raised in a tan-yard, and had worked 

 for thirty-five years at the business; he was greatly 

 delighted, with the material, and looked upon it as being 

 the best he ever knew. 



The foregoing statement of facts I feel fully authorized 

 to make, from my own observation and experience. I do 

 not feel that they give anything more than a truthful 

 view of the merits of the mesquite. I am fully satisfied it 



