Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/279

 Now pour off the liquid into a bucket or some vessel that will hold it, and into the cask or tub pack the skins, putting a layer of bark between each layer of skins. Be sure that the latter are laid quite straight. When all are in, pour in the liquor again and leave them ten days or a fortnight; if not properly done then repeat the process. The tan can be boiled, but it is not really necessary.

Get off all, or as much as possible, of the flesh and fat, then make a solution of alum, salt and water—four parts of salt to one of alum, as much as the water will contain. Dissolve the alum and salt in hot water, and when cold immerse the skins, and in about 48 hours the skins will be cured. Wash in a weak solution of washing soda and water to cleanse from any particles of fat. Sheep or goat skins will require to be left longer in the solution.

Use 1½ lbs. alum to 2 gallons water. Wash the wool clean in the first instance with plenty of plain soap and water, then cure in the ordinary way in the alum and water, either by brushing over or lying skin side down in the liquid. To colour, use aniline of any shade desired, or diamond dye, but see that the skins lie flat. When they are the right shade take out of the dye and rinse well in fresh cold water, then dry in the shade.

Collect some wattle bark, or if you live by the sea, some mangrove bark, and make a strong decoction by boiling—a kerosene tin makes a good pot. Break the bark up and pour cold water over it, and set on to boil. When it has boiled an hour take out as much of the bark as you conveniently can and put in fresh, fill up with cold water again and let it boil, repeat this until the tan is strong enough. Before putting in the skins be sure all fat and flesh is scraped off. The tan must be put into a cask or wooden tub and then put the skins in, letting them lie as flat as possible. Look at them once a week and change the liquor. The same liquor will do several times, if it is reboiled and well skimmed. The skins will take a month to tan properly. I think mangrove bark is quite as good as wattle, save that it does not give such a deep colour, though there is actually very little difference. I have used the mangrove bark very much for tanning fishing nets and the sails of the boats, and have always found it answered well.

When the skins have been tanned and the fleeces well washed