UNITED STATES DEPARTMEMT OF AGRlCULTXJRE 
BULLETIN i<£?tf- 
Contribution from the Bureau of' Chemistry 
CARL L. ALSBERG, Chief 
Washington, D. C. 
Issued July 26, 191$f*Kevised November 6, 1920. 
Slightly Revised April 1935. 
AMERICAN SUMAC: A VALUABLE TANNING 
MATERIAL AND DYESTUFF. 
By F- P. Veitch, Chemist in Charge, J. S. Rogees and It. W. Fbey, Assistant 
Chemists, LeafJier and Paper Laboratory. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction. 
Species of American sumac 
Present methods of gathering 
curing 
Tannin content 
Sumac extract 
and 
Page. 
Disposal of extracted material 10 
Causes of poor quality in sumac 11 
Cooperation for better sumac 11 
Directions for gathering and curing 12 
Buyers of sumac .1 12 
Summary 13 
INTRODUCTION. 
Sumac, known also as " shumac " or " shoemake," is a wild plant 
rich in tannin, a product of value to the tanning and dyeing indus- 
tries. Sumac grows on uncultivated lands in many parts of the 
United States and is particularly abundant and accessible east of 
the Mississippi. Plentiful stands occur on cut-over land, in old 
fields and pastures, on mountain sides, in waste places, and on the 
edge of swamps in the Appalachian region. Immense quantities of 
this valuable tanning and dyeing material, which cost nothing to 
raise, remain ungathered every year, and are allowed to go to waste, 
while normally the United States imports annually about $8,000,000 1 
worth of vegetable tanning materials. 
Although there would seem to be little excuse for such an un- 
economic condition, a study of the situation reveals certain obstacles 
in the way of making use of this sumac for the purposes to which 
it is adapted. It is hoped, however, that these difficulties may be 
overcome by the manufacturers and gatherers if they have a fuller 
1 Statistical Abstracts of the United States, U. S. Department of Commerce. 
120932°— 35 
