Furs are now largely collected by private trappers, though the Hudson's Bay Co., the Alaska Commercial Co., and a few minor combinations, still maintain an extensive trade. The first object of the collector is to secure the animal without injury to its fur. The next step is to remove the skin from the flesh. This is commonly done by ripping up the belly, and then drawing tho skin off; but " cased " skins, or those which are not cut down the belly, fetch mud) better priers, particularly those of the mink, musk-rat, otter, fox, fisher, opossum, and skunk. A good plan is to puncture the skin where no injury will result, and to insert a quill, by which air can bo blown in between the flesh and the skin. When stripped, the pelts are cleaned from adherent fat, and are hung up in a cool place to dry and harden, nothing being applied to them. They are occasionally beaten, to dislodge worms, and, when thoroughly dry, are packed in bales, care being taken that they shall not best. The only exception to this rule is the fur seal, which is best preserved by salting, and packing in barrels. A little carelessness at this stage may ruin the contents of a whole bale; as tho slightest putrefaction suffices to condemn the fur.
The principal centres where furs are collected for sale and transport are :—New York, Boston, Montreal, and St. Louis, in N. America ; Victoria (Vancouver's Island), for tho region drained by the Hudson's Bay Co. ; Nijni Novgorod, for European Russia ; Irbit and Kasen, in Siberia ; Kiachta, on the Siberio-Chinese frontier ; Leipsie, for the interchange of American, European, and Asiatic furs ; while London is a great market for almost every kind, and its fur sales, especially those of the Hudson's Bay Co. in January, March, and September, are perhaps the most important of all.
The imported raw peltries of the fancy class are subjected to the following treatment. The skins are first softened by the application of unsalted butter or sweet oil; the pelts are then placed in vats containing fine sawdust of hard wood (e. g. mahogany), kept at blood-heat by means of steam, and are here trampled by foot for about 1 hour ; when sufficiently worked, they arc drawn over a sharp knife, to remove every particle of flesh ; and finally are trampled again iu clean saw dust. This operation is termed " leathering "; by it, the pelts become soft end supple like glove loather. The furrier then receives the skins, assorts them according to colour and overhair, and cuts them up to form the articles required. When the pieces have been stitched together with extreme care and-nicety, the article is damped, stretched and secured upon a pine-heard according to pattern, and left to dry ; on removal, it is trimmed, and softened by rubbing, and is then ready for lining. Great judgment is' required to properly economize the materials, and fur piecing is a distinct branch of the trade. Remnants and cuttings are largely imported into Greece, for making rugs and linings, while large quantities go to the hat-makers, for transformation into felt. Much ingenuity is exercised in dyeing and dressing furs, to improve the appearance, and conform with the demands of fashion, as well as to enable inferior specimens, and even the pelts of other species, to fetch an artificial price. The secrets of these processes are, of course, jealously guarded
by the trade.
Staple furs receive a very different treatment, the object in their case being first to separate the hair from the skin, and then to convert the former into felt. These operations are described under Hats and Woollen Manufactnres, the bulk of the hair being used for making felt bats. Quite recently, F. Fenton, of York, has patented a process for spinning rabbit and bare fur into yarn, suitable for making woven and knitted fabrics.
The trade in fancy furs is subject to great changes and risks, owing to the vagaries of fashion ; while that in staplo furs is fairly constant. The supply increases rather than decreases, and the variations of fashion preserve the rarer species from extermination. The imports of furs into this country are very large ; in 1879, they were :-From Australia, 8,137,997, 94,645/. ; United States, 2,433,980, 324,787/.; France, 794,201, 83,309/. ; Russia, 601,185, 22,378/. ; British N. America, 483,638, 93,623/. ; Holland, 385,929, 47,474/.; Belgium, 285,104, 31,6181.; Germany, 231,614, 14,6261.; Brazil, 201,474, 10,974/. ; other countries, 438,693, 36,036/.; total, 13,993,815, 759,470/.
The following notes convey an idea of the sources, estimated animal production, principal characteristics, approximate values, and chief uses, of the furs of commerce : Badger.-European and Asiatic (Meles Taxus), 50,000 ; American (M. labradoria), 5000. Size, 2 ft. x 3 ft.; European (German are the best) have woolly fur, with overhair coarse, and black with silver spots ; American have finer fur, with overhair 3-4 in. long, floe and soft, and coloured purplish-brown at the roots. Values, 2-7s. for lsts, 8d.-3s. 6d. for 2nds and 3rds. Used for covering trunks and horse-trappings in France, and the hairs for superior shaving-brushes and artists' pencils.
Bear.-Europe and Asia, 4000 ; America, 15,000. Black bear (Ursus arnericanus): large numbers in Minnesota, Alaska, &c. Size, 3 ft. x 6 ft.; overhair, 6-8 in. long, fine and brilliant ; fur, thin. At the best when animals just quitting their winter lair ; cubs finest ; American superior. Values, 64-95s. for lsts, 36-64s. for 2nds, 15-34s. for 3rds, 3s. 6d.-12s. for 4ths, 22-60s. for small and cub 1st and 2nd, and 3-18s. for ditto 3rd and 4th. Uses, saddle-cloths, robes, foot man's, grenadiers' head-dress, &c. Brown bear (U. arctos of Europe, and U. ferox and U. Richardsonii of America): a few in the wildest Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians, and mountains of Norway and Lapland, Siberia, and the Altai, with varieties in the Himdlayas, Thibet, Persia, Afghanistan, Caucasus, and Armenia ; and in the Hudson's Bay territory. Size, 3 ft. x 6 ft. ; overhair, very fine. Values, 17-68s. for lsts and 2nds (a few very prime, 15/.), 3-14s. for 3rds and 4ths. Uses, muffs, &c. Grizzly bear (U. horrtbilis): in the Rocky Mountains. Size, 4 ft. x 8 ft. and upwards ; overhair, coarse ; fur, thick and heavy. Value, 1-2/. Use, robes. White bear (U. rnaritimus) : in the Arctic regions of both hemispheres. Size, larger than the others ; overhair, short and stiff; fur, thick. Values, 10-20/. for best pure white, 20-70s. for 1st and 2nd grey, and 3-12s. for 3rd and cub grey. Uses, robes.