1885.] OAK COPPICE. 497 



by the shoot falling, and tearing part of the outer wood, they should 

 be laid in, and then neatly faced with the axe on that side on which 

 the tree is intended to fall. As soon as the shoots are cut, the 

 stools that have been sawn should be dressed with an adze, the 

 outer edge being reduced to the level of the surface of the ground, 

 so as to form a slight convexity to prevent water from standing on 

 the stool. It is generally best to keep the most expert woodmen 

 felling, and some less experienced, following with light axes, prun- 

 ing the branches from the bole ; and these are followed by others 

 with handbills, who prune out all the branches to about an inch in 

 diameter. This part of the work is light, and should be done in a 

 most active and expert manner. The operator, as he prunes out 

 the branches, should cut them off in handy lengths of about 3 feet, 

 and leave them collected in heaps ready to be carried by another 

 set of men to the peelers. During the time of pruning, the men 

 should be instructed to preserve as many forked branches similar 

 to Y ^s possible ; these should be from 3^ feet to 4 feet long, and 

 are required for the erection of the drying ranges. The peelers are 

 ari'anged on the sides of a plantation road or other suitable place 

 where the work can be carried on without injuring the stools, and 

 at the same time not at too great a distance from the cutters, 

 and also convenient for the removal of the wood and bark. The 

 whole of the wood should be carried to these suitable places for the 

 peelers. 



Stkipping the Bark. — The peelers are each provided with a 

 peeling-iron and mell, and those who are to peel the smaller wood 

 have a smooth stone about 10 inches square by 6 inches deep. A 

 few of the best peelers are started to peel the boles and strongest 

 ])ieces of wood ; the bark on each bole is first cut into about 3-feet 

 lengths with a handbill, and then taken off with a peeling iron, 

 great care being taken to keep the bark in as large pieces as possible. 

 It greatly facilitates the work when each pair of these peelers is 

 provided with one or two of what is technically called a Jiovie ; on 

 these they lift one or both ends, and are thus the better enabled to 

 take off the bark speedily and in large pieces. As soon as the bark 

 is stripped, it should be laid in heaps with the fleshy side down, 

 ready to be carried to the drying ranges. Those who peel the 

 smaller wood generally sit on the ground with the wood to be 

 peeled on their left side, and they start the bark by beating the 

 piece of wood over the stone with the mell. When the bark is in 

 good condition for peeling, a very moderate beating 'generally causes 

 it to open from the wood, when it is easily taken off in one piece 

 with the hand without the aid of the peeling iron ; but it some- 

 times happens that the iron is required, especially with the stronger 



