1885.] LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 385 



the rank, and the whole covered with the bark taken from the body 

 of the tree. I have known bark properly ranked in this way keep 

 for a month in bad weather, and come into the tanyard bright and 

 free from damage ; but as wages got higher, the practice of bedding 

 bark was introduced. This is done by placing a narrow row of bush- 

 wood along the ground and laying the bark across it, and then 

 covering the top with body bark ; the idea being that if it is exposed 

 in this way, a current of air will pass through it, and of course dry 

 it more quickly. But this is a fallacy, as the thin pieces of bark 

 are pressed together by the weight on the top, and are often com- 

 pletely spoiled when delivered. Every rind of bark lying with the 

 flesh side up is a receptacle for any rain that falls, and we often 

 find water in the rut of the bed after the outsides are quite dry. 

 All the " ranking " used to be done by women and children ; but 

 since the Board Schools have absorbed all the children, and women 

 rarely go out to work, the men adopt the plan which gets over the 

 most work ; arguing that if no part of the bark touches the ground, 

 there is less risk of damage. But long experience has convinced 

 me that this is wrong, and if I were a tanner I would give 2s. 6d. 

 per ton more for bark that had been ranked than for that which 

 had been bedded. W. M. 



LIGHTNING AND THE HORSE CHESTNUT. 



SIE, — At page 232, January number, your correspondent 

 " Thunderbolt," in his list of trees struck by lightning, gives 

 " one horse chestnut." Now this is the first instance I have ever 

 heard of this class of tree being struck, although I have been over 

 many thousands of acres of woods in the Midland counties, and have 

 also made many inquiries from foresters of large and long experience; 

 and as this is Ijut a solitary instance, I think I may assume that 

 the horse chestnut may still be recommended as the best tree to 

 plant for purposes of shade for stock on pasture lands. I have 

 known several beech trees struck, and am about to have a large 

 beech cut on the Moor Park estate, which was struck some years 

 ago, and is now become dangerous. — Yours truly, 



W. Mainwaeing. 

 Bainfield (R. S. 0.), Herbfordshike. 



[The list cited by " Thunderbolt " was made up from experience 

 on the European continent. Can any other correspondents give 

 British experience on this point ? The case as it stands at present 

 in regard to the horse chestnut, is one positive example of danger 

 against one hundred of comparative safety. — Ed.] 



2 B 



