[Ysharros]

If you're not getting points from harvesting cotton, as someone else said, you should /petition because your skills are probably stuck. There is no other conceivable reason why you would *not* be getting points, unless reading/not reading the books borked something (which comes down to the same issue). For skinning, any time you harvest ratty hide you should have a chance at a skillup - what you get it from should be creatures 13-20odd; I'm not well enough versed in the mobs these days to offer any precise names, though the level 13 crocodiles near Natmeg Enos bunker in the Khal area used to yield it.

I've read some amateur books right at 100, others before 100, and have not had any problems. So far I have a miner/quarrier 100+, skinner/reaper 100+, and lumberjack/quarrier 100+. I haven't tried reading anything higher yet since I'm not at that stage... but I wonder if trying to do so might break something?

Not saying this to taunt you, but more to point out that this is how it should work and if you're not progressing in a given skill despite harvesting the right stuff, chances are you're bugged.

If you haven't already I'd make sure you try reading both Amateur Skinning & Reaping again. You might want to make sure you're not using the cheapo rusty starter tools, too - I don't *think* they would prevent you from skilling up but who knows. After that, if there's no change, I'd /petition.