PREPARATION AND MARKETING 57 



marked 1860 in Fig. 5 shows a simple break of this 

 kind which has been in existence for sixty years and 

 is still used in some parts of England. If used care- 

 fully the work is done well, though slowly, but often the 

 peeler exerts too much force and splits the rod. In 

 the more modern type the principle used is much the 

 same as in the break described above, but the blades 

 are kept together by a spring so that the operator 

 has both hands free to pull the rod. It possesses 

 the further advantage of exerting a constant, pressure 

 which does not damage the rods. E and F, Fig. 6, 

 represent two breaks of this type, modification of 

 which are generally found most useful by willow 

 peelers. Several more complicated breaks, such as 

 represented by A, B and C, have been invented and 

 are usually efficient, but on account of their cost have 

 not yet come into general use. 



Drying White Rods. The freshly peeled rods are 

 dried in the open air by resting them against stretched 

 wire. The wire should certainly be galvanised to 

 prevent its rusting during wet periods. Such rust 

 would stain white rods. I find it better to spread 

 the rods on to a couple of wooden rails fixed 2 ft. 

 from the ground. The wind can then exert a drying 

 influence without the fear of staining. The first con- 

 sideration is a good colour, and in order to attain 

 this, white rods ought not to remain out of doors 

 more than twenty-four hours. 



In suitable weather all material peeled before noon 

 should be warehoused the same night, and this can 

 only be made possible by thinly spreading it on a 

 couple of rails fixed 2 ft. from the ground so that the 

 wind can play underneath as well as on to the top. 

 As good colour is of so much importance, the workers 



