Stretcher.--TANNING SKINS.--To
Tan with the hair on.--Preparation of Skin for Tanning.--Tanning
Mixture.--Recipe.--Second Mixture.--Recipe.--Third Mixture and
Recipe.--How the Skin is softened and finished.--HOW TO TAN MINK
AND MUSKRAT SKINS.--Preparation of Skin.--Tanning Mixtures.--Various
Recipes.--"Fleshing."--The Fleshing-knife.--Substitute for the
Fleshing-knife.--HOW TO TAN THE SKINS OF THE BEAVER, OTTER, RACCOON,
AND MARTEN.--Tanning Mixtures.--How to soften the Skin.--Simple
Tanned Skin.--Recipe for removing the fur.--How to finish the
Skin.--OBSERVATIONS ON THE HISTORY OF FURS AND THE FUR TRADE.--Some
bits of History in connection with Furs.--Ancient use of Furs.--Furs
a medium of Exchange.--Furs and Fashion.--Extravagance in Fur
Costume.--Choice Furs as Badges of Rank.--Their use restricted to
Royal Families.--The Early Fur Trade of Europe.--A Tribute paid
in Furs.--Early History of the Fur Trade in America.--Origin of
the Hudson's Bay Company.--Hostility of the French Canadian
Traders.--Establishment of the North West Company.--Competition and
War.--Consolidation of the two Companies.--Great sales of the Hudson's
Bay Company.--Importance of the Fur Trade.--Cities founded by the
enterprise of the Trapper.--St. Paul.--Montreal and Mackinaw.--Fortunes
built up on Fur Traffic.--John Jacob Astor.--Mink and Muskrat
Skins.--Their extensive use in America.--Estimated value of the
annual yield of Raw Furs throughout the World.--Classification
of Furs by American Dealers.--"Home" Furs.--"Shipping" Furs.--Table
of Sales of Hudson's Bay Company, in 1873.--March Sale.--September
Sale.--Price according to Quality.--Estimated average per Skin.--List
of American "Shipping" Furs.--List of American "Home" Furs.--MARKET
VALUE OF FUR SKINS.--Eccentricities of the Fur Market.--Demand
governed by Fashion.--How Fashion runs the Fur Trade.--The Amateur
Trapper and the Fur Trade.--Difficulty of a profitable disposal
of Furs.--Advice to the Novice.--How to realize on the sale of
Furs.--TABLE OF VALUES OF AMERICAN FUR SKINS.--A complete list of
American Fur bearing Animals.--Various prices of Skins according
to Quality.--USES OF AMERICAN FURS AT HOME AND ABROAD.--The Silver
Fox.--Fifty Guineas for a Fur Skin.--Red Fox Fur.--Its
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use in Oriental Countries.--Beaver Fur.--Its various uses.--Raccoon
Skins, a great Staple for Russia and Germany.--Bear Skins and their
various uses.--Lynx, Fisher, and Marten Skins.--The Mink.--Use