10 Dec, 1909-] Building Hints for Settlers. 8oi 



Spouting, 24-gaiige ; 14 lenutlis, 4^-iii., 0.(}. 



Straps, 31, with 6-in. tail. 



Springhead nails, 2.500. 



Clouts. 4 Ih. \ym. 



Wire nails. 36 lb. 2\-m., 14 11.. 3-in., 7 H.. 4 in. 



i?o?/s', Nutf, and Washers — 



20 8^-in. X ^-in. ; fixing 4-in. x 2-in. braces to 4-in. x 4-in. stnds'and posts, and 



at intersection of bracing. 

 166 6|-in. X ^-'m. ; fixing sleepers to stumps, joists to stumps, and 4-in. x 4-in. 



studs, brackets to posts, rafters to 4in. x 2-in., studs in end wall, and 



to 4-in. X 4-in., studs and posts. 

 20 6-in. X A-in. ; fixing back top plate t o studs. 



14 5^-in. x"^-ia. ; fixing 4-iu. x2-in. studs to stumps and front top plate to posts. 

 20 4^-in. X ^-in. ; fixing 4-in. x 2-in., sluds to rafters and joists. 

 10 3|-in. X ^-in. ; fixing brackets to front top plate. 



The cost of this material in Melbourne would be about jQ^o. 



VI. — Stkippin(i Sheets of Bark. 

 T. M. Whelan, Overseer, Rosedale Experimental Farm. 



In Victoria vast tracts of country still remain in their primitive state. As. 

 efforts are now being made to utilize in a practical manner and render fit 

 for permanent settlement areas of so-called barren waste lands, hitherto 

 popularly deemed unfit for the purpose, it may prove of interest, if not of 

 practical value also, to briefly describe some of the initial operations of a 

 settler in forest lands in Victoria. The settlers first desire being a habitation 

 such as may be conveniently erected with a minimum outlay of both labour 

 and capital, I will first describe the practical methods in vogue of stripping 

 bark for building purposes. 



Several species of eucalypts are suitable for the purpose, such as r-ed gum, 

 grey box, yellow box, messmate and stringy bark. The latter tree is, how- 

 ever, the one which is most frequently used ; it is more plentiful and the 

 bark proves the most durable in actual use. A well constructed building, 

 with stringy bark walls and roof, will prove serviceable for a period of 

 twelve to fifteen years, and in exceptional cases even longer, while the 

 life of the bark of the other varieties of trees named above may be placed at 

 three to five years. 



The operation of bark-stripping is usually performed by two men, though, 

 it may be easily done by one. It is essential to choose trees with a straight 

 bole free from limbs, knots, or other excrescences, otherwise a difficulty in 

 getting the sheets of bark to properly flatten out will arise. The tree is first 

 girdled at a sufficient height from the ground to clear the spurs or buttresses 

 usually found at the base of all forest trees, and again girdled at the height 

 necessary to give a sheet of bark of the length required, which is usually 

 from 6 feet to 10 feet. For making the top girdle or incision a ladder of the 

 requisite length is most favoured, the operator standing on the rung of the 

 ladder and using a tomahawk or half axe. An adze with a specially made 

 handle, 6 feet to 8 feet long, may be used instead, the operator standing on the 

 ground. Another method is to use a rope or strap passed round the tree 

 and of sufficient length to also pass round the operator's body while stand- 

 ing about 2 feet from the tree. In actual practice the latter method will be 

 found the easiest and most expeditious, but it calls for both nerve and 

 muscle to acquire the art of swinging easily in the band. The operator 

 makes a small incision in the bark on which to rest the ball of tlie foot and 

 take the weight of the body, while moving the strap higher and higher up 



