The tannage of sealskins depends upon the size of the skins, the purpose for which they are intended, and whether they have been split or not in the limed state. The largest and coarsest skins intended for boot uppers, and those which have been heavily scratched on the grain and are only suitable for enamels, are given a tannage which may last about 5 weeks. The liquors are made from oak bark and mimosa bark, and are made up to 35° with gambier and possibly myrabolans extract. For fancy work also heavy skins are used, but a softer tannage is needed. If for blacks the tannage is with gambier and chestnut extract. Two sets of handlers are given (10°-15° and 15°-20°), using only gambier in the green sets. They are well sumached after tanning to bleach and to mordant. If for colours, only sumach and oak bark are employed. The skins are first paddled for 3-4 days in sumach liquors, in which they are coloured through. The liquors may be warmed; this quickens the tannage and also leaches the sumach. The skins are then split, and the grains pass through a handler set with liquors made from oak bark (8°-24°). The skins are in this set for 3 weeks, in the first half of which they are very frequently handled. They are finished off by paddling for 1 or 2 days in a fresh liquor containing much sumach, which mordants the skins and bleaches the bark tannage. The flesh splits are given a drum tannage in chestnut and quebracho extracts. If small skins are being tanned for bookbinding purposes, sumach only is employed, and usually the tannage is entirely in paddles. In finishing many types of grain may be obtained, in blacks and in colours. The finishing of "black levant" may, however, be selected as a typical case. The skins are soaked back, tempered, and either split or shaved, according to their substance and the size of grain wanted. The thin skins of course give the fine grains. Mixed tannages need scouring and possibly sumaching. The skins are then oiled up with linseed oil, sammed, set out and blacked. In this last operation the grain is brushed over with a solution of logwood and ammonia, and afterwards with the iron mordant which often contains glue. They are next hung up for a while and then "wet grained" in four directions--belly to belly, shank to shank, across, and neck to butt. After hanging up in a hot stove to set the grain, they are cooled, fluffed on the flesh, and seasoned on the grain with a solution of milk and blood. A little black dyestuff may be added to the season. The season is well brushed in, the skins dried somewhat, and then glazed. They are then grained four ways again as above, dried out in the stove, and lightly oiled with warm linseed oil on the grain. REFERENCE. Bennett, "Manufacture of Leather," 40, 56, 90, 112, 206, 251, 312, 346, 383. SECTION IV.--SHEEPSKINS