Abstract: Drum apparatus for the treatment of hides, leathers and the like include a substantially cylindrical member having an inner interior defining surface and a plurality of substantially radially extending paddles situated within the interior. The paddles have respective lengths less than the length of the cylindrical member and together extend over substantially the entire length of the cylindrical member. The paddles form at least two groups, the paddles of each group being substantially situated in a common diametric plane, each diametric plane being both angularly and longitudinally offset relative to the diametric planes of the remaining groups of paddles.