South Africa is an important source of supply of raw material, and large quantities of Cape hides are sent to England. The production of raw hides there is likely to be on a very large scale in a few years' time, as the raising of Afrikander and other breeds of cattle is sure to become an important industry now that the ravages of the terrible disease, known as "tick," have been checked. China is another large hide-exporting country; most of the hides from this source are dried in the open air and are generally arsenicated to prevent the ravages of insects. Immense quantities are also provided in all other populous countries, but the demand for leather is generally greater than the production of raw material in those countries. India is a noteworthy exception to this general rule; the production of Indian hides is enormous, and, although the leather trade is being developed, there is a large surplus of raw hides and skins for export. Large quantities are roughly tanned, however, and exported to England, Germany, France, and other European countries to be dressed and finished. The greater proportion of these hides and skins is used for the making of shoe leather, while a good quantity is used for bag (hide) and imitation morocco (goat) leathers. Naturally, there is in the aggregate a considerable supply of raw hides and skins from other parts of the world in addition to that from the countries specially named, and new sources are being frequently found. It would be impossible to describe the characteristics of the numerous varieties of hides and skins except in a full-sized text-book, but a brief description of the principal sorts may be given. Some of the varieties produced in the United Kingdom have already been described. In the main, there is not a great deal of difference in the hides of various breeds, but there is a type of well-grown and stout hides specially suitable for sole and belting leather; this class is known as runts, and these hides are obtained from the Scotch and Hereford breeds of cattle. The Scotch runts from the Highland cattle are more valuable than any other class of hide found in the United Kingdom; unfortunately, the production is small. Irish cattle also yield good hides, but in England the interests of the cattle owner, or feeder, are in conflict with those of the tanner, for the system of artificially fattening cattle with oil cakes tends to make the hides very greasy and weaker in the fibres than those hides from animals which are reared on natural food-stuffs. This grease is very difficult to remove and reduces the selling value of sole leather by about 2d. per lb. The use of a borax solution for soaking partially removes the grease, while it has been proposed that the pelts should be treated with a solution of hyposulphite of soda just before placing them in the tan liquors. A drawback of the latter process is that a little weight is lost in the finished leather.