eather." To those who are not prepared to work
hard, and very hard indeed, I say, Do not waste your time in reading
this chapter.

The usual and time-honoured method of dressing skins, say a rabbit's
skin, is--directly it is removed from the animal--to nail it on a
board, and rub it in with alum four parts, and common salt one part,
or plunge it in a warm solution of the same for a day or so, taking it
out, nailing it on a board, letting it dry, rubbing it down with
pumice stone, and plunging it again and again, and repeating the
drying and pumice-stoning process until the skin becomes pliable. This
is rather an uncertain process, for if well steeped the hair or fur is
constantly damp, or dripping even, in humid weather, and if alum alone
is used, though killing much of the dampness, it renders a fine thin
skin of a parchment-like texture.

However, as anything is better than a damp skin, I have used a mixture
of four parts of burnt alum to one part of saltpetre (see Formula No.
9) for small skins, finally rubbing down and dressing the skin with
lard, into which a little essence of musk has been stirred, and
kneading the skin with the hands in bran to remove the superflous
grease.

This, and all other such processes where alum is used, must, however,
give way to the following, which I have used for certain skins for
years, and for which I was originally indebted to a correspondent in
the English Mechanic; his formula was: "Mix bran and soft water
sufficient to cover the skins, let this stand four hours covered,
before being used, then immerse the skins, keeping them well covered
for twenty-four hours (less in India), then take out, wash clean, and
carefully scrape off all the flesh. To one gallon of water (hot) add
one pound of alum and a quarter of a pound of salt. When dissolved and
the mixture is cool enough to bear the hand, immerse the skins for
twenty-four hours, take out and dry in the shade, and well rub with
the hand.

Stir the liquor, and again immerse for twenty-four hours; dry, and
hand-rub as before, and then put the skins for twenty-four hours into
warm oatmeal and water, stirring occasionally. Dry in the shade, and
when the skin is nearly dry, hand-rub till quite dry."

The only thing I have found necessary to guard against in this is,
that the skins must be perfectly fresh before being put in the bran
and water, otherwise it will be necessary to rub them in with the salt
and alum first. Another im