Abstract

India possesses nearly a third of the cattle wealth of the world. Though it is far behind other countries regarding its dairy products, it stands in the forefront in the manufacture of skins and hides. In the early days, before the advent of the wattles, several indigenous tanning materials were used, namely barks of Cassia auriculata, L; Cassia fistula, L; Acacia arabica, Willd; pods of Caesalpinia digyna, Rottl. and Caesalpinia coriaria, Willd. and fruits of myrobalans (Termi- nalia chebula, Kerz.). Prior to the first World War (1914-1918) South African wattle bark was unknown to the tanning industry of India. The war made a very big demand on the Indian tanning industry, with the result investigations were taken up at various Leather Research Institutes.

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