Class XVI.]
HIDES AXD SKINS FOB TANNING AND DRESSING.
3S9
Jlorse Hides,
Horse hides are brought into this country in largenumbers; the principal supply is from South America ,from -whence 180,000 were imported last year. Thehorse was unknown in South America previous to theoccupation of the country by the Spaniards; it now runswild over the flat plains of that country, and is caughtfor the value of its hide and hair. These skins are usuallyappropriated for ladies’ shoes, either as cordovan orenamelled leather; fertile latter purpose, the hide is splitby a machine described iu another part of this Report.The price of these hides varies considerably; at the pre-sent time the value is very low, not exceeding 4s, 6d.each.
Ox and Cow Hides , and Calf Skins .
Ox and cow hides are produced in very large numbersin the British Isles ; they are usually tanned in oak bark,and appropriated for sole-leather, as well as for harness,machinery, and coachmakers’ use. Foreign hides, whichare imported largely from the East Indies, South America ,and the Cape of Good Hope , are similarly appropriated.The latter description, like most of the skins from thatfertile colony, are large, thick, and well grown. Aremarkable specimen of the horns of the Cape ox, measur-ing more than 8 feet across, is exhibited iu the depart-ment appropriated to Cape produce. The calf skins ofEngland are very generally tanned in oak bark, and usedfor the upper part of boots and shoes. Foreign calf skinsare imported from the Baltic, where they are killed muchyounger than in this country, and are used for bookbind-ing, for gloves, and ladies’ shoes.
Hippopotamus Hides.
About 100 of these hides have been annually importedinto London from South Africa ; they have been tannedin oak bark, in which state they make exceedingly thickand compact leather: no very suitable application has yetbeen found for them.
Deer Skins,
Deer skins produced in this country are manufacturedinto oil or chamois leather, and appropriated for gloves,breeches, boots, and braces. A very large number areannually collected in North America , and manufacturedin the United States . A small portion of these skins areused iu this country and in Germany . The hair of thedeer is said to be the best material for stuffing saddles.
Hog Shins.
Hog skins are collected and tanned almost exclusivelyin Scotland , where it has long been the custom to stripthe skin from the carcase of the animal, contrary to thepractice in this country and in Ireland . The leather isporous and light, but extremely tough and strong on thegrain or outer surface. When tanned and curried, it issold to harness-makers for covering saddles, for whichpurpose it is peculiarly adapted. The wild boar isremarkable for the extreme thickness of its hide on theback and mane, which enables it to break through thethorny brushwood of the forests with facility. A speci-men of this part of the skin is exhibited by Mr. Geo.Edwards, which is more than two inches in thickness,and took seven years to complete the process of tanning.
The immense supply of English sheep skins affordsoccupation to many large establishments, in which theyare manufactured and variously coloured similar tomorocco leather. They are tanned in bark for bazils,in alum and salt for white leather, and are also largelyappropriated for parchment and chamois leather. Theprincipal places where the skins are dressed and dyed areBermondsey , Leeds, and Manchester, whence they areexported to Germany, South America , and our owncolonies. A considerable quantity are also sent to theUnited States , after being partially prepared and salted.The value of an English sheep pelt varies from two toten pence, when the wool of the same skin may beestimated from two to ten shillings; lienee the attention
which is paid to the latter, while the former is entirelyneglected. In proportion to the fineness of the wool, thecompactness and value of the pelt are depreciated. Thesupply of sheep and lamb skins annually produced inLondon and its vicinity exceed a million and a half; alarge portion of these are split; the upper surface istanned with sumach ; the lower half is manufacturedinto parchment and chamois leather. Of lamb skins, thegrain or upper surface is frequently made into whiteleather for tying over the stoppers of chemical bottles;the flesh, or lower surface, is dressed into thin chamoisleather for lining gloves.
Cape of Good Hope Sheep Skins.
A very distinct variety of sheep skin is imported fromthe Cape of Good Hope ; the wool is short and coarse,and rarely produces more than 1 lb. per fleece. Thisi sheep has a tail of extraordinary thickness, frequently aslarge as the neck of the animal, and loaded with fat.Though the wool is of no value to the Cape fanner, thisanimal is still preferred by some flock-masters in conse-quence of the superior quality of the meat, the largequantity of fat produced, and the hardy constitution ofthe sheep, which appears to be particularly adapted tothe climate. A similar sheep skin with broad tail is alsoimported from Smyrna; but on this the wool is of finerquality. When manufactured into leather, the quality ofthe Cape sheep skin is found to be nearly equal tomorocco leather: it is frequently dressed for tan drivinggloves, and produces a very serviceable and durablearticle.
Foreign and English Lamb Skins for Gloves.
In Italy, Spain, and the south of France , it is the cus-tom to kill the lamb at a much earlier period of its growththan is usual in England; the skin is in consequence small,fine, and thin, and is used as a substitute for kid: theleather, however, is neither so strong nor so glossy onthe surface, but sufficiently soft and elastic, and largelymanufactured into gloves in the counties of Somerset andWorcester . About 1,400,000 lamb skins are annuallyimported for this purpose. Those of the highest valueare brought from the vale of the Arno, iu Italy ; they arealso imported from Turkey, Austria, Spain, and France .Small English skins, which are taken by the shepherdsfrom the lambs that die within a few days of their birth,are frequently dressed with the wool, and appropriatedfor liniug gloves and shoes. About 400,000 of this de-scription are annually collected, and a portion of themare manufactured into coloured leather gloves.
Swiss Goat Skins.
The goat is reared in considerable numbers in Switzer*land, Italy, and the south of France , lor the valuablemilk which it supplies. The skins are preserved withgreat care, and exported to this country for the purposeof making into morocco leather. Those from Switzerland bear the highest value, on account of the perfect natureof the grain of the skins, which enables the moroccomanufacturer to dye them very brilliant and permanentcolours. The texture of goat-skins is very strong, andmore durable than the sheep; from which circumstancethey are well adapted for covering chair-seats and liningcarriages. About 96,000 are annually imported fromSwitzerland and the valley of the Rhine .
Cape Goat Skins.
Skins of the Cape goat are much thicker than anyother kind, and are applied to purposes where greatstrength and substance are required. r l he body of theanimal is as large as the fallow deer. Many of theskins are exported to Germany , where they are manu-factured into leather for the common dresses of thepeasantry.
Mogadore and East Indian Goat Skins.
Mogadore goat skins are distinguished by the greatlength of the hair, which, when shorn from the skm, iscurled and manufactured for stuffing chair-scats and mat-tresses. The skin is rather inferior iu quality, and usually