DRESSING AND SOFTENING SKINS AS LEATHER. 193 



wliicli is called "white leather dressing." Before I describe 

 this, however, it may be as well to say that no liquid, powder, or 

 combination of liquids or powders, is known into which a skin 

 can be plunged, and — luithout the aid of manual lahour — come 

 out as leather. I mention this to correct a popular error, many 

 people supposing that labour has no part in the preparation of 

 " white leather." To those who are not prepared to work hard, 

 and very hard indeed, I say, Do not waste your time in reading 

 this chapter. 



The usual and time-honoured method of dressing skins, say a 

 rabbit's skin, is — directly it is removed from the animal — to nail 

 it on a board, and rub it in with alum four parts, and common 

 salt one part, or plunge it in a warm solution of the same for a 

 day or so, taking it out, nailing it on a board, letting it dry, 

 rubbing it down with pumice stone, and plunging it again and 

 again, and repeating the drying and pumice-stoning process 

 until the skin becomes pliable. This is rather an uncertain 

 process, for if well steeped the hair or fur is constantly damp, 

 or dripping even, in humid weather, and if alum alone is used, 

 though killing much of the dampness, it renders a fine thin 

 skin of a parchment-like texture. However, as anything is 

 better than a damp skin, I have used a mixture of four parts of 

 biirnt alum to one part of saltpetre (see Formula No. 9, p. 72) 

 for small skins, finally rubbing down and dressing the skin 

 with lard, into which a little essence of musk has been stirred, 

 and kneading the skin with the hands in bran to remove the 

 superflous grease. This, and all other such processes where 

 alum is used, must, however, give way to the following, Vv^hich 

 I have used for certain skins for years, and for which I was 

 originally indebted to a correspondent in the English Mechanic; 

 his formula was : " Mix bran and soft water sufficient to cover 

 the skins, let this stand four hours covered, before being used, 

 then immerse the skins, keeping them well covered for twenty- 

 four hours (less in India), then take out, wash clean, and care- 

 fully scrape off all the flesh. To one gallon of water (hot) 

 add one pound of alum and a quarter of a pound of salt. 

 When dissolved and the mixture is cool enough to bear the 

 hand, immerse the skins for twenty-four hours, take out and 

 dry in the shade, and well rub with the hand. Stir the liquor. 



