Editor s Box. 1 1 7 



fencing to erect I should be glad to know if the cement in this case 

 would prove as beneficial as lead. I have always been opposed to sulphur 

 or batting in iron standards for fencing. 



In conclusion, let me second Mr. Scott's suggestion, viz., that the 

 Journal of Forestry be both comprehensive and exhaustive, then it cannot 

 fail to be both interesting and instructive so long as we continue to give 

 in faithful and judicious reports. 



Ancora Impaeo. 



THE OAK BARK SEASON 



Sir, — In accordance with the request contained in your last number I 

 send you a few particulars of the prices realized for timber and bark, rates 

 of wages paid, &c., on this estate, with the hope that they may call forth 

 further remarks on this important subject. 



For felling and peeling oak timber I give 25s. per ton of 2,464 lbs., or 

 22 cwt. to the ton of oak bark, loading and trucking the same ourselves ; 

 when the loading and trucking is done by the men who take the work 

 the price is 30s. per ton, but I find it much better to load it ourselves, as 

 taskwork men generally will not be careful enough in loading to see that 

 it is in good condition. It is also important that when peeled the bark 

 should be stacked on wooden horses, or stages, standing on forks 2 ft. 6 in, 

 from the ground, and care should be taken not to overcrowd the stages ; 

 the long bark should always be put on the top to protect the other from 

 rain, as bark very soon spoils by getting mouldy and spotted and black in 

 wet weather. 



This season so far has been a very good peeling one. I have delivered 

 and trucked at the railway station over 40 tons already, and shall have 

 about 70 tons more to deliver before the season is over. The price 

 realized this year is £7 per ton of 22 cwt. For felling all kinds of hard- 

 wood I give Id. per foot, only paying for measurable timber. Should any 

 tree turn out rotten and bad I generally allow the men a sum for felling 

 it, but this circumstance rarely happens here. Care should always be taken 

 in felling timber to get well down in the spurs, or large roots, which are 

 often the most valuable parts of the tree. For cutting and ranking cord- 

 wood I give 2s. 9d. per cord : the size of the cord is 8 feet long, 5 feet 

 high, and 3 feet wide, closely ranked. 



We also cut many "chocks," for colliery purposes, the sizes of these 

 being 5 and 6 inches square and 2 feet long. For cutting these in the 

 wood I give 9d. per dozen. They have then to be taken to the saw-mill 

 and squared, from there to the railway station and put into trucks ; the 

 price being 6^d. to 7d. each. By doing this the proprietor realizes a better 

 price than by cutting the large short pieces of cropwood into cordwood, as 

 cordwood now is a dull sale, only making 10s. 6d. per cord for hardwood, 

 owins: to the bad state of the iron market. 



