295
2. Gloves, Breeches, fyc. —Buff, shamoy, and buckskin lea-thers, dressed in oil for soldiers’ belts and other accoutrements,gloves, breeches, aprons, &c. are prepared in considerable quan-tities at Silvermills near Edinburgh, Pollockshaws near Glas-gow , and some other places. The skins, which are chiefly thoseof the cow, calf, sheep, and deer, after having been chargedwith oil, are subjected to a process of milling, similar to that ofrvauking or fulling.
3. Saddlery, Harness, &;c. —The saddlery business is carried onto a great extent in the towns, villages and hamlets of Scotland .In the towns, saddles, harness for every description of carriages,belts for machinery, &c. are chiefly made ; and in the villagesand hamlets, the business is confined almost entirely to makingand repairing harness for agricultural horses. The manufactureof whips and thongs, is very inconsiderable. There is only oneestablishment, which is situated at Edinburgh . There are somethongs made at Hawick and other places ; but the consumers ofthese articles are chiefly supplied from England.
4. Bellmus-r,taking. —In Edinburgh, Glasgow , and in some o-ther of the principal towns, bellows are made both for smiths*forges and for domestic purposes.
The leather trade in Scotland , on the whole, employs a greatnumber of hands in all the different operations, from the timethe skins are taken off the animals, until they are prepared andmade up into shoes, boots, saddlery, harness, and various accou-trements; whips, furriery, caps, leggings, and pocketing; gloves,breeches, machinery belts, covers of coaches, sedan and otherchairs; trunks, books, rollers, and balls; besides being used forcards, sieves, pipes, valves, and various other purposes.
The duties paid on hides and skins in Scotland , for the yearending the 5th January 1813, amounted to 48,77fA 7s. 8^-d.
9. Malting, Brewing and Distilling,
Or the Mamtfacture of Grain; consisting of several separateBranches.
1. Malting. —The process of malting consists in exciting thevegetative power of grain, which is accomplished by immersionin water for a specified time, and the heat arising from partialfermentation, in consequence of the grain being laid in heaps, orspread on the floor to a certain thickness, varying according tocircumstances. Thus situated, the grain springs or vegetates;and the farinaceous substance of the grain is converted into sac-charine matter, which is soluble in water.
Malt was formerly made to great extent at the sea-port townsalong the coasts of Scotland for exportation to Norway , the Bal-tic, &c. as well as for home consumption. Of late years, theHate of Europe and other circumstances have prevented expor-