SALE OF BARK. 653 



the purchaser of the lots of coppice, that he should sell the 

 bark at a fixed price per cwt. to the tanners. 



Similarly, some sales are conducted which provide that the 

 forest-owner shall have the converted wood and the purchaser 

 the bark, after the latter has converted both the bark and the 

 wood at his own cost. This is one of the most usual modes of 

 sale and is very convenient, though not always most profitable 

 for the forest-owner : for, although the felling and conversion 

 is effected under the supervision of the forest staff, and the 

 purchaser's workmen must submit to silvicultural rules, yet 

 they study the interest of the purchaser rather than that of 

 the owner. Good supervision may, however, remedy matters 

 in this respect. 



(b) Sale by unit of Produce. In this mode of sale also, the 

 price of the bark is arranged before it is harvested, but the 

 felling and peeling is undertaken and paid for by the forest- 

 owner. This mode of sale is far preferable to those described 

 under (a), and is generally the best to adopt ; the workmen 

 are engaged by the forest-owner and will see to his interests, 

 and the conversion of the wood will be arranged more 

 profitably, as firewood, or timber for agricultural purposes, 

 according to the requirements of the case. There is here 

 nothing to interfere with the best possible harvesting of 

 the bark, and the maintenance of its quality ; for if the 

 workmen are paid by piecework, according to the weight 

 and quality of the bark, their interest in the matter will be 

 enlisted. 



This mode of sale has been adopted recently in several 

 places in Baden, Wurtemberg and the Palatinate, and in parts 

 of Prussia. 



(c) Sale of Converted Material. Another possible mode of 

 sale is when the forest-owner converts both wood and bark at 

 his own expense and sells the produce afterwards. This 

 method is adopted rarely ; it is mentioned here only in order 

 to show how necessary it is to arrange for a purchaser of the 

 bark before the felling. If, however, forest-owners were to 

 provide large sheds for drying and keeping the bark, the trade 

 would benefit, and this would lead to the whole bark-harvest 

 being conducted by the forest-owners. 



