Till-; I'.i.Ac'K \\\iii,h^ iMMsrm. jS/ 



stamp, wliich takes cxtrciiK'ly little power aiul packs one ton 

 ])er hour, to the hea\v machines workinj^ on the screw-i^roiieiler 

 j.rinciple. which handle almut ^o lon> ])er diem, and rc-i|nirc- 8 

 t.) lo B.li.l'. 



It used to he the case that all shi])j)inf; charj^rs were per 

 ton weight, and there was consequently no very great inducement 

 to go to expense in regard to sjjccial packing. The war and tlic 

 scarcity of shi]iping has. iKnvever, had marked effect on this 

 industry, in that it has led lo serious endeavours to economise 

 shipping space. Various locally-made stamp and rotar\- machines 

 for packing have heen in use for some }ears, including C ollins' 

 ])acker. Arthur Wotul's ])acker. and Alacdonald's packer; hy ail 

 of these, ahout 200 His. ch()])ped hark is packed in a grain hag, 

 and in this condition, which has. during recent years, heen the 

 standard, the hulk for shi])ment is 85 to yo cubic feet i)er ton 

 weight (2.240 lbs.), and is regarded hy the shipj)ing companies 

 as 90 c.f. 



Mr. A. Collins is now ])roducing a rotary packer. ])acking 

 chopped bark into bags in an oblong container, and these are 

 Tifterwards bound square with iron hoop, whereby sacked pack- 

 ages. I4in. X I4in. x 28in. are ])repared for shii^ment. working 

 out at about 60 cubic feet per ton weight, with an inexpensive 

 outfit. X'arious hydraulic and lever presses are in use. and 

 ethers under order or c(>n^tructi(»n. whereby, with a pressure 

 of 200 tons, cho]?ped liark, at about 50 cubic feet per ton 

 and shredded bark at aljout 4S cubic feet per ton are 

 managed in bales covered with hessian and banded with steel 

 hoops, usually 2oin. x 21 in. x i6^/dn.. of about lyo ll)s. to 200 lbs., 

 and 1 am informed that shredded bark has been packed to about 

 40 cubic feet per ton. but this I have not seen. A good deal 

 of bark is now being ex])t)rted shredded by disintegrators, mostly 

 in compressed bales, and is in demand in this form, and though 

 the chemist mav say there is more loss of tannin in the escape 

 of liM)se crystal's and fixation of others by this than l)v other 

 methods, the demand is likely to control the output till something 

 better is forthcoming. 



A good manv of these grinding jilants are being erected in 

 various centres, and usually consist of a disintegrator recptiring 

 20 R.H.r.. which grinds or shreds the chopped bark to a fibre 

 resembling coir. The jirocess is a very dusty one, and can only- 

 he done in comfort b\ adoi;ting an exhaust fan and collector, 

 with jirobablv an added dust-room attached. The local si)ecial- 

 ists for the mechanical re<|uirements of the industry are giving 

 every consideration to this develo].>ment, and have iiroduced what 

 is required, and the baling is done by the i)resses already men- 

 tioned, to the same size as the ch(j])])ed hark bales. 



The rate of freight. Durban to London, which before the 

 war was at 25s. ])er ton. has been raised to 62s. yd. per ton mea.s- 

 urement (40 cubic feet), or when in bags estimated at QO ^^ul^ic 

 feet ])er ton weight, at £(> i>er ton weight (2,240 lbs.). This 

 gives considerable encouragement to the reduction of bulk. 



