858 Journal of the Department of agriculture. 



To effect this conversion the best plan is to fell the blue gums and 

 convert the wood into charcoal, leaving plenty of debris, in the form 

 of branches, twigs, and leaves, on the ground, and to burn this 

 shortly before replanting is undertaken. If the original stand was 

 deuse enough to eliminate quick grass, no further preparation of the 

 soil should be necessary. The newly burned soil makes an excellent 

 planting bed and promotes rapid growth of the young transplants. 

 It may be necessary to slash away coppice growth from the blue gum 

 stumps once or twice during the first year or two, but if the E. rostrata 

 have been correctly spaced, no further treatment should be necessary 

 until the time for first thinning arrives. 



When laying down new plantations, it is advisable to exclude 

 E. fjlohulus in doubtful localities. In forestry it is always safer to 

 select species which are known to be naturally siiited to the local con- 

 ditions. Others may appear to do well for a time, and quickness of 

 early growth is an almost irresistible attraction in this respect, but if 

 the local conditions are foreign to the nature of the species there is 

 always a tendency to invite disease. 



The attention of the reader is invited to Forest Department 

 Bulletin jN'o. ] of 1920, relative to The Growing of Mine Props on the 

 High Veld, which appeared in the June, 1920, number of the Agricul- 

 tural JouJ'iioI. 



Preparation of Hides and Skins. 



The following is extracted from a list of instructions circulated 

 by a well-known local tannery for the benefit of farmers and others, 

 in the flaying and preservation of hides and skins. The advice is 

 sound and worthy of careful attention : — 



The hide or skin of any animal worth flaying is worth the trouble 

 of doing it properly. 



Do not delay flaying until the hide or skin is semi-putrid ; avoid 

 cutting it unnecessarily and immediately salt it thoroughly; don't 

 spare the salt. 



Wet Hides. — Fold hide carefully, flesh side inside, and let 

 remain for twenty-four hours, then drain off the water, lightly 

 sprinkle the hair side with salt, and again fold up icith hair side 

 inside into a small bundle. It will then keep without damage until 

 it reaches the tannery. 



Dj-y Hides. — If the hides are to be dried thoroughly, open them 

 out after they are thoroughly salted and allow them to dry in the 

 shade and not in the hot sun. When they are nearly dried fold them, 

 with hair inside, double only, so that they lie flat and unwrinkled. 



Skins should be thoroughly salted with fairly fine salt and dried 

 in the shade, and, when dry, should be packed carefully one on top 

 of the other. 



Don't allow your natives to make sleeping mats of the skins or 

 to walk on them. The smallest scratch or crack on the grain of the 

 skin reduces its value very considerably. You won't notice it, but the 

 buyer will, and you will suff'er loss. 



Don't spalk or peg out any hide or skin in the sun or even in 

 the shade. 



