Country Hides and Skins. 5 
It may be pointed out that the statistics in Table 2 are for animals 
killed for food. Hides and skins, especially those from country- 
killed calves, are not always removed by the slaughterers and a con- 
siderable number are obtained from animals that die from accident, 
disease, or natural causes. 
The figures on slaughtering are given because the available data 
on hides and skins actually taken off do not distinguish between 
those removed by the large wholesale and the small retail slaugh- 
terers. From the latter, as well as from farmers, many of the country 
hides and skins are obtained. 
CONDITION OF COUNTRY AND PACKER HIDES AND 
SKINS COMPARED. 
Some of the principal factors which lower the value and mate- 
rially affect the market prices of hides and skins are given below. 
A tabular arrangement is used for convenience in comparing packer 
and country hides and skins with reference to many of the physical 
defects found in domestic hides. The objectionable conditions men- 
tioned under the heading of " Country hides and skins " are not 
applicable to all of that class, but they are so prevalent that they 
have served to contrast the packer and country products. Hide pro- 
ducers should find it to their advantage to study these comparisons 
and strive to eliminate the objectionable features. 
Items. Country hides and skins. Packer hides and skins. 
Skinning (flaying) By unskilled men By experts. 
Cuts and scores Numerous Few. 
Patterns and trim Not uniform Uniform. 
Sinews Left on hide Removed. 
Udders : Parts left on hide Removed. 
Tail bones Left on hide Removed. „ 
Dcwclaws Left on hide Removed. 
llairslips (putrid condition) Many Few. 
Destroyed grain (rubbed or dragged Many Few. 
hides). 
Salt stains (due to unclean salt, etc.).. Many Few. 
Salt Often finely ground and dirty Clean, coarsely ground orrocksalt. 
Cure Many not thoroughly cured Generally well cured. 
Method of cure Often pickle cured Always salt cured. 
Saltings Usually two or more Usually but once. 
False weighting By vatting, by applying foreign Rare. 
substances or water. 
Handling Careless Careful. 
Color of flesh side Dirty Usually bright. 
Leather yield Low and uncertain nigh and reliable. 
Dried hides Many sunburned and decayed None. 
Frozen Frequent in winter None. 
Fallen Many Few. 
Glue hides Many Few. 
Grubs 1 With more than 1 grub, graded With more than 4 grubs, graded 
as No. 2. as No. 2. 
Quantities Small lots, often single hides In carload lots of selection desired. 
Marketing Complex, through many dealers.. Simple — producer to tanner. 
Producer's method ofsale Frequently sold flat, i. e., not Always selected and graded. 
selected or graded. 
Standardization of classes and grades. Not standardized Long-established standards. 
' The War Industries Board in 1918 ruled that grub penalties for packer and country hides should be 
the same 
