392 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. [Oct. 



removes the spikes, which are taken care of for the next tree. The 

 men who climb are usually paid four or five shillings per week over 

 those who work on the ground. 



So much for the practicability of the operation. The next point 

 is, How long should the trees stand after being peeled ? In the 

 case of timber merchants, this time is limited by the conditions of 

 sale, they having to clear all off the estate within a specified time. 

 If the trees stand one month, they benefit considerably by the opera- 

 tion. If they stand three months, there is much more benefit to 

 the timber, — and from three to six months is as long as I should 

 care for them standing, — but if they stand twelve months they will 

 not be injured. Your correspondent asks, " How long should an 

 oak tree after being peeled stand before being felled as seasoned 

 timber ? " That is a question I am not prepared to answer ; but if 

 it stood till the outside of the tree began to rot, I should doubt it 

 then being seasoned in the centre. 



It is only as a means to an end, I would recommend the peeling 

 of oak before felling it. Every one practically acquainted with 

 felling and peeling oak timber, knows how liable it is to split and 

 open up from exposure to the hot sun. Not only is it liable 

 to split through the centre when sawn off from the root, but along 

 the whole length of the tree we frequently see it split from the out- 

 .side to the heart. Oak-peeling having to take place when we may 

 .expect our hottest weather, it is impossible to prevent this exposure 

 when the operation is performed on a large scale. When oak is 

 peeled standing, all splitting and opening is entirely prevented, and 

 the tree cuts out as sound as possible, — sounder than if it had been 

 felled in the depth of winter. You at the same time clear all cost 

 - of labour from the price of the bark, and leave a nice margin for 

 vprofit. Not only so, but I consider it necessary, when oak timber is 

 felled in winter, for the tree to remain a year before being planked ; 

 whereas, if peeled standing and left for three months, the timber is 

 iialf seasoned, and may be cut into plank immediately. The tree 

 -being standing, and exposed to the sun and wind of the summer 

 months, one can imagine it will dry much quicker than if lying on 

 the ground with the bark on. 



On estates where timber is felled before being sold, I would 

 say to the managers. If you can get as much for timber peeled after 

 it is felled as you can for timber peeled standing, by all means fell 

 before peeling. If there is no demand to have oak timber which 

 has been peeled standing, it may be worth while to consider whether 

 this is because it has never been offered in that state ; and to 

 consider further whether, if offered, it would not bring in a greater 

 price per foot. 



