Ladies' kid gloves are made from skins taken from a five-weeks-old kid, whilst gentlemen's gloves are made from a stronger skin coming from a two-months-old animal. Among the glove leathers in general use are (1) glace kid, a polished material coloured on the grain or hair side; (2) undressed kid, coloured on the flesh side; and (3) castor kid, coloured on either or both sides after the grain has been scraped off. From twenty to twenty-four complete pairs of gloves can be made up from one dozen skins, the actual number depending, of course, on the size of the gloves; ladies' gloves range in size from ;V. in. to 7 1/2 in. round the palm of the hand, gentlemen's from 6 3/4in. to 10 in., and girls' from 4 1/2in. to 61/2in. In making gloves, the first operation is the shaving of the dressed skin, which is damped and laid out flat, grain side down, on a marble slab whilst a knife or shaver is made to thin down the skin to the proper thickness; to prevent the knife slipping, flour is sprinkled on the skin. After being stretched, the skins are cut by hand into glove parts of the desired size, and then are riddelled -that is, lines showing the shape of the fingers are made with a stamp, each size having a different stamp. The thumb pieces are marked in a similar manner.

The spaces between the stamped lines are about double the width of the fingers, so that when the leather is stretched over the tough cardboard pattern, the lines may be drawn more closely together. The glove patterns are from l0 1/4im to l1 1/2in. long, and from 4 1/2in. to 51/4 in. wide. A separate pattern for the thumb and fourchettes is required (the fourchettes are the pieces between the fingers). A pattern is placed on a table, the marked-out end of the piece of leather is laid on the finger end of the pattern, and the leather is stretched by hand until the spaces between the lines are of the same width as the fingers on the pattern beneath; then the thumb and fourchette pieces are done in the same way. After a close inspection the glove parts are taken to the cutting presses, in which are movable steel dies encircled by sharp steel knives; six thicknesses of glove leather are placed over the die, then a strip of paper, and then a piece of rubber. I5y pulling a lever, an iron plate is forced down on the rubber disc, the leather being forced over the knife edges and cut as required. The thumb pieces are cut in a similar manner, and then the backs of the gloves are embroidered by machine.

Fourchettes of suitable size are selected and cut, two at a time, to the desired shape by a die. In sewing together the gloves with an over-seam stitch, the piece between the thumb is sewed on first, then the thumb, and then the fourchettes, and so on. A narrow strip of binding is sewn on the inside to keep the leather from tearing where the hooks or buttons are placed. Sharp-pointed pincers are used to bring the parts together for sawing, and the glove is held in position by means of two circular pressers which revolve when the sewing machine is at work and cause the glove to move forward during the sewing operation. The sewn gloves ar3 placed in a damp cloth for about ten minutes and then flattened and pulled into shape by hand rubbing on a smooth table; sometimes a wooden roller is used to flatten them. Black gloves are given a lustre by being rubbed by hand with a mixture of neat's-foot oil, soap, vaseline, and grease. To polish glace kid gloves, they are distended on a piece of cardboard and pressed against a plush-covered wheel about 12in. in diameter making 350 revolutions per minute.

The gloves are then ready for the buttons, clasps, etc.