By fleshing before liming a more regular action of the lime is obtained. This is necessary to "kill" the grease still remaining in the skin. A long and mellow liming is given for the same reason. Fully three weeks are given, and old limes are much preferred, partly to obtain the maximum lipolytic action and partly to avoid the intense ribbing of the pelt which new limes so easily impart to the older animals. These ribs are very difficult to eliminate in the subsequent work. Some factories find it necessary to finish up in new limes, however, in order to plump and split the compact fibre bundles into their component fibrils. The plumped pelt is also easier to split green. No sulphides are usually employed. Sweating (see Section IV.) is sometimes used for depilation, and in this case the ribbing of the pelt does not take place. The puering is unusually thorough with sealskins. This is to obtain the maximum softness and take full advantage of the lipolytic action. The puer liquor is fully 95° F., and the skins are paddled for about three hours, or until fully pulled down and completely delimed. Scudding follows, now usually by machine. The skins are then well drenched. The action is intensified by the use of peameal in addition to the bran. About 10 per cent. of the mixture on the weight of pelt is used. It is customary, however, to drench at a lower temperature (68°-70°) than in the case of goatskins (Section II.), but the goods are left in the drench overnight only, as is usual in drenching. It is quite possible that drenches worked differently may have also a somewhat different fermentation and be due to other organisms than the symbiotic bacteria discovered by Wood. It is equally possible that the acids produced are also different, in relative proportion, if not in nature, and that consequently there is a real difference in the practical effect. In the Author's opinion, the great probability is that in the drench are several fermentations, and that if the action be reduced by lowering the temperature, but intensified by adding peameal to the bran, some of these fermentations are encouraged at the expense of others.