Much of the leather now sold as "Russia" is produced in Germany, France, and England. It is tanned in the customary way, occasionally with willow, but more generally with oak-bark, and probably other materials. Economy would suggest the use of such materials as, from their red colour, are objectionable for other purposes, and therefore cheap. The currying is in the usual manner, care being taken that the oil used does not strike through to the grain, which would prevent it taking the dye. The colour is given by grounding with a solution of chloride of tin (100 parts tin perchloride, 30 parts nitric acid, 25 parts hydrochloric acid, allowed to stand some days, and the clear solution poured off, and mixed with 12 volumes of water). The dye-liquor may be composed of 70 parts rasped Brazilwood, 3 parts tartar, and 420 parts water, boiled together, strained, and allowed to settle clear. The grounding and dyeing are done on a table with a brush or sponge (see Glove-kid dyeing, p. 229). The odour is communicated by rubbing the flesh-side with a mixture of fish-oil and birch-bark oil, which sometimes contains no more than 5 per cent. of the latter. [Illustration: PL. VII. _E. & F. N. Spon, London & New York_ "INK-PHOTO" SPRAGUE & CO LONDON TREADING AND DYEING THE SKINS.] CHAPTER XVII. CHAMOIS OR WASH-LEATHER. This leather, which is remarkable for its soft felty texture, which it retains even after wetting, although perfectly porous and free from greasiness in its finished state, is prepared by the action of oil on the raw skin. Wash-leather was formerly manufactured from sheep- and calf-skins, and from those of the chamois, and various deer (hence the name), from which, after liming, the grain was removed (frized) with a sharp knife, either with the hair, or after unhairing. The flesh-splits of sheep-skins are now generally employed for ordinary wash-leather, and of course no such process is needed, though buff-leather for belts and military purposes is still so manufactured. The skins receive a thorough liming, which, where softness is desired, is so conducted as very thoroughly to remove the cement-substance (coriin) from between the fibres; and this removal is frequently carried still further by a short bran-drench, which also secures the complete absence of lime. After the usual beam-work, the skins are pressed or wrung out to remove surplus water, and while still moist are oiled on a table and folded in cushions. Fish-, seal-, or whale-oil is generally used, and vegetable oils do not seem to answer even in mixture, with the exception perhaps of olive-oil. The skins are next stocked for 2-3 hours, shaken out, and hung up for 1/2-1 hour to cool and partially dry. They are then again folded in bundles, and stocked for a short time, taken out, oiled again, and returned to the stocks; and this process is repeated, until the skins lose their original smell of limed hide, and acquire a