Country Hides and Shins. 
35 
heuds at one end. Salt each hide or skin thoroughly after it is placed 
on the pile. In stacking, two men are required, one at each end of 
the pile. This is necessary to prevent the dragging of the hide across 
the under one and so disturbing the evenly distributed salt on it. 
When building these piles, care should be taken to keep them level. 
There is a tendency for the pile to thicken up in the middle, a ten- 
dency which limits the number of hides that may be placed in one 
pile. As soon as difficulty is experienced in keeping the middle down 
a new pile should be 
started. 
After the stack or 
pile has been laid, the 
top hide should be 
liberally covered with 
salt, and the sides of 
the pile also be sprin- 
kled with it. Hides 
may remain in these 
piles 4 to 6 weeks be- 
fore shipping. They 
should not be shipped 
or moved in less than 
10 days. Be sure that 
there is proper drain- 
age at the bottom of 
the pile so as not to 
ruin the lower hides 
by the liquor formed 
during curing. 
Some butchers 
make a practice, be- 
fore stacking, of 
" banking " the hides 
and skins for from 24 
to 48 hours, and from their experience better cured hides, free from 
salt stains, are obtained. The object of banking is to give the salted 
hides and skins an opportunity to drain off the excess moisture and 
blood. A simple type of bank is an inclined platform with the rear 
end raised about 18 inches from the floor. The platform should be 
practically 12 feet long and of a width depending on the number of 
hides and skins handled at one time; each pile of hides will require 
about 8 feet. 
The hides or skins are spread out smoothly on the platform, al- 
ways flesh side up and with the heads at the lower end of the in- 
cline. Each one is well sprinkled with salt on the flesh side after it 
Fig. 39. — " Fisting-off " a sheepskin. Note the position 
of the fist and the skin. 
