410 
PREPARATION  OF  FANCY  LEATHERS,  ETC. 
mill.    When  the  oil  has  been  thus  worked  into  the  substance 
of  the  skins,  they  are  removed,  exposed  to  the  atmosphere,  again 
oiled,  and  once  more  subjected  to  the  fulling  mill ;  after  which 
they  are  placed  in  a  moderately  heated  room  for  a  day  or  two, 
the  object  of  which  is  twofold,  viz.,  to  facilitate  the  evaporation 
of  the  water  and  the  penetration  of  the  oil,  and  to  create  a 
slight  fermentation,  by  which  the  composition  of  certain  of  the 
organic  substances  have  undergone  such  modification  as  to  en- 
able them  to  combine  in  a  permanent  manner  with  the  fatty 
matters.  These  processes  are  repeated  until  the  manufacturer 
deems  the  leather  sufficiently  prepared  to  be  fit  to  undergo  the 
following  operations,  viz.,  to  be  immersed  for  several  hours  in  a 
caustic  lye  bath,  to  remove  the  excess  of  oily  matter,  washed, 
and-  pegged.  It  is  only  necessary  to  stretch  the  leather  on  a 
table,  then  on  a  horse,  and  lastly  between  rollers,  after  which 
it  is  ready  for  the  market.  The  ordinary  buff  colour  of  these 
leathers  is  communicated  by  dipping  them,  previously  to  the 
finishing  processes,  into  a  weak  solution  of  sumac.  Before 
speaking  of  the  further  processes  necessary  to  fit  these  leathers 
for  the  glove  manufacturer,  allow  me  to  have  the  pleasure  of 
describing  that  of  Mr.  C.  A.  Preller,  whose  mode  of  preparing 
leather  is  very  interesting,  owing  to  the  rapidity  with  which  he 
converts  hides  into  leather,  and  also  to  the  remarkable  toughness 
which  his  leather  possesses.  To  attain  these  desirable  ends  Mr. 
Preller  proceeds  as  follows : — The  hides  are  washed,  slightly 
limed,  uahaired,  fleshed,  and  partially  dried  ;  they  are  then 
smeared  with  a  mixture  made  of  fatty  matters  and  rye  flour, 
which  having  been  prepared  a  few  days  previously  has  entered 
into  fermentation,  and  which  has  so  modified  the  fatty  matters 
as  to  render  them  more  susceptible  of  immediate  absorption  by 
the  hide.  I  think  that  this  feature  of  Mr.  Preller's  plan  de- 
serves the  serious  notice  of  all  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
oiled  leathers,  as  it  appears  to  prove  that  fatty  acids  (or  modi- 
fied fatty  matters)  are  better  suited  for  combination  with  skins 
than  neutral  fats.  The  hides,  with  additional  fatty  matters, 
are  then  introduced  into  the  large  American  drums,  previously 
noticed  in  speaking  of  currying,  and  after  four  days  they  are 
removed,  washed  in  an  alkaline  fluid,  worked  with  a  pummel 
and  slicker,  and  after  being  dried  they  are  ready  for  market. 
Gloves.-—  The  manufacture  of  this  article  is  now  a  most  im- 
