THE PRODUCE OF WOODS AND PLANTATIONS. 



169 



commence operations by testing the state of each tree Avith the 

 stripping iron. If the bark moves easily, the tree is cut ; but if not, 

 it is left, and earlier trees selected first. This is a much better 

 way than felling every tree indiscriminately, whether it will strip 

 freely or not, leaving a party of women and boys to hammer the 

 bark off as best they can. When a tree is felled, the trunk and 

 head are stripped as expeditiously as possible, and no lopping of 

 branches is performed except such as cannot be conveniently reached 

 by the strippers. The whole of the work is performed by men, 

 who engage to cut the timber, strip and dry the bark, and tie it in 

 bundles ready to load, at 28s. per ton. Instead of erecting bark 

 ranges, capable of supporting a thick layer of bark, they merely 

 select a number of straight pieces of stripped oak which are sup- 

 ported in forked stakes, about 2 feet high. These straight pieces 

 of oak are arranged in one continuous horizontal line, and the bark 

 is erected on either side of them in the form of the letter A. This 

 secures a continuous and effectual current of air from end to end, 

 which thoroughly dries the bark in eight or ten days if the weather 

 is favourable. In wet weather the bark must be reversed occasion- 

 ally; but even if the weather is unfavourable, it is never damaged 

 so much as when deposited in a thick layer on the top of a bark- 

 range. Being placed on end, the water passes quickly off it with- 

 out washing out any of the tannin, and when the weather clears up, 

 it is soon dry and ready to send to the tanyard. The following 

 represents the bark-range referred to, which is the only form of 

 range used in this neighbourhood : — 



When the timber to be sold consists of various sorts of hard- 

 wood, including oak, it is best to sell the whole together as early in 

 the winter as possible. Occasionally it is considered expedient to 

 sell the mixed hard- woods in November, and the oaks early in the 

 following spring. I cannot see, however, that much advantage is 



