After the tannage is complete, leather is hung up to dry. In the case of heavy leather this drying must be very carefully carried out in order to obtain a product of satisfactory appearance and saleable qualities. Associated with the drying are many mechanical operations (scouring and rolling) which assist very materially in imparting the desired qualities. After tanning, however, the quality of the final product is most strongly influenced by the amount of grease added in finishing. Some grease is always used in finishing, partly because even sole leather requires some measure of pliability and partly because a coating of oil over the leather during drying prevents the loose tannin from being drawn to the surface of the leather by capillarity, thereby causing dark and uneven patches and a "cracky" grain. The added grease is also a contribution to the "weight" of the finished article--a primary consideration for heavy leather, which is usually sold by weight. The finishing processes, indeed, tend to be dominated by this consideration, and become a series of efforts to retain as much tannin and add as much grease as are consistent with the requirements of the class of leather being manufactured. Sole leather does not contain more than about 2 per cent. grease, or its firmness is impaired. Belting leather, in which considerable pliability is needed, may contain about 9 per cent., whilst harness leather, which must be exceedingly tough and durable, may contain up to 13 per cent. of fatty matters. Upper leathers, which need to be soft and pliable as well as waterproof and durable, are very heavily "stuffed" and often contain up to 30-40 per cent. of grease. Sole leather is thus rather distinct from the rest, which are called "curried," "stuffed," or "dressed" leathers. The actual drying out before, after and between the various mechanical operations, each have an appropriate degree of wetness. In this country the drying is usually under the prevailing atmospheric conditions and is known as "weather drying." The goods are suspended by hooks or strings or by laying over poles in special sheds fitted with louvre boards by which the rate of drying can be roughly controlled. Weather drying is cheap, but exceedingly slow, and in unfavourable weather is very unreliable. The goods, moreover, need constant attention to obtain an even result. Steam pipes are usually laid along the shed floors, and are used in winter and damp weather to accelerate the drying, and also in the final shed stove to remove the last traces of moisture. Wet weather, however, will not stand a high temperature, and steam drying is better avoided when possible. Air-dried leather still contains about 14 per cent. of moisture. Many systems of shed ventilation have been suggested to hasten the drying and to secure a better control of the process. In one system a screw fan is fitted at one end of a shed (without louvre boards) and