Animal Proteins

skin." The term " hide," however, has a narrower meaning, in which it applies only to the outer covering of the larger animals, and in this sense is used rather in contrast with the term " skin." Thus we speak of horse hides, cow hides, camel hides, and buffalo hides. It is used in this sense in the title of Part I. of this volume. As such hides are from large animals, the leather which is manufactured therefrom is thick and in large pieces, and is therefore commercially designated as " heavy leather." From the standpoint of chemical industry hides are amongst the most important of animal proteins, and their transformation into leather for boots, shoes, belting, straps, harness, and bags comprises the " heavy leather trade," which is one of the largest and most vital industries of the country. The heavy leather trade predominates over other branches of leather manufacture, not only because of the comparatively large weight and value of the material handled, but also because the resulting products have a more essential utility. There is also a still narrower use of the term " hide," in which it applies only to the domesticated cattle?the ox, heifer, bull and cow?which use arises from the fact that the hides of these are both the largest and most valuable portion of the raw materialof the heavy leather industries. In a very narrow sense the term is also sometimes applied only to ox hides, which for most heavy leathers are the ideal raw material. The Home Supply ...