On several indigenous Plants which may 
from the three kingdoms of nature, such as alum, com- 
mon salt, raw tartar, bran, meal, and fish oil ; but it is ne- 
cessary to enter into some details with regard to the third, 
in which vegetables alone are used, that serve to make a 
sort of ley, by means of which the tanning is com- 
pleted. 
This third method can be subdivided again into four 
sorts, according to the four principal sorts of leather that 
are prepared with the help of different vegetables, viz. 1. 
Common leather; 2. Cow’s leather; 3. Cordovan; 4, 
Morocco leather. 
Every vegetable ley fit for making leather is either 
cold or hot. 
The cold process is the simplest and easiest, but, at 
the same time, the slowest ; it is used for the coarsest and 
heaviest sort of skins, which are put in holes, or in wood- 
en vessels, with oak or birch bark. 
The method of tanning with hot leys is often very 
troublesome, but it is more expeditious than the former 
one. Some sorts of leather require three weeks ; others 
eight, twelve, or fifteen days. From twenty-four to 
thirty-six hours are sufficient for Cordovan; Morocco 
leather takes seven or eight hours, and sometimes from 
sixteen to twenty. This method is as follows : The ley 
is poured into wooden vessels, together with hot water ; 
the skins are put into it, and stirred often. After eight 
days time the water is thrown out, heated again, poured 
upon fresh ley, and the whole is poured upon the skins. 
This operation is continued and repeated until the vege- 
table parts have penetrated the substance of the skins so 
as to change them into leather ; which is then dried, and 
given over to the curriers. 
W e may remark here, that cow leather cannot be made 
as cheap with us as in Russia ; and that the scented sort 
called cuir de Koussi derives that property from two em 
