THE TECHNOLOGIST. [Dec. 1, 1864. 



214 ON THE MANUFACTURE OP GLOVES. 



the most celebrated styles of French gloves were made from the skins of 

 rats, and we have even seen the statistics of the rat-catching trade, 

 fostered, as it was asserted, by the demand created by gloves, set forth 

 in a startling army of figures, which went to show that this most prolific 

 of the rodents was destined to speedy annihilation. The catacombs of 

 Paris were said to be the great hunting ground of the rat-catchers, and 

 the business of trapping the animals, and dressing the skins, to be 

 one of growing importance. But these statements do not appear to be 

 borne out by facts. Very few, if any, rat skins have been used for 

 gloves. The skins are not large enough to cut any but a small-sized 

 glove, which alone disproves the assertion that they are largely used. 



Many dressed kid-skins are imported into this country at present. 

 Most of them come from France and Germany. It is probable that the 

 demand for gloves for importation has considerably decreased, and the 

 surplus skins are sent to this country instead. A fine lot, of the best 

 finish and choicest colours, was recently sold in this city as low as eight 

 dollars in gold, and this though the duty on dressed skins is one 

 hundred per cent. From these skins, and they are such as have never 

 before been offered in this market, we may expect to see our American 

 manufacturers produce gloves that rival the best French ones. 



A very good article of genuine kid, as well as of Cape sheep gloves, 

 both for ladies and gentlemen, is now made in Gloversville, N.Y., in 

 Philadelphia, in Water-town, Massachusetts, and possibly elsewhere in 

 the country, but those are the principal seats of the manufacture. A large 

 number of skilled workmen in this branch of business have already 

 been brought to this country, and several enterprising manufacturers are 

 now in Europe purchasing machinery and securing operatives. The pre- 

 sent tariff protects efforts of this kind, and the result will be to increase 

 largely all, or nearly all, manufacturing interests. 



Most of the skins used in American manufacture are imported. 

 Deer skins are mainly furnished by the Western States, though many 

 come from South and Central America. The sheep skins used come 

 mostly from England, salted and packed in casks. The English sheep 

 have skins of a fibre finer than ours, but those from the Cape of Good 

 Hope are superior to them ; they resemble kid. Calcutta kid is the 

 Indian buffalo, an animal somewhat resembling the ox. It is used as a 

 beast of burden in India. Goat skins come mostly from South America, 

 the West Indies, Mexico, the Sandwich Islands and India. They are 

 seldom used for anything but gloves. The white hog of South America 

 has a skin of thick close fibre, used for making heavy, durable gloves. 



The imported skins are brought into New York or Boston, and from 

 thence are distributed throughout the country. They are then dressed* 

 put through the process of tanning, which requires several weeks ; then 

 treated with oil, and thus prepared for manufacturing. Various minor 

 details of the preparation we omit. 



In making up gloves the division of labour is einiilar to that in 



