THE BARK OF OLD OAKS. 657 



and the management good, only 2s. 6^. per acre is obtained 

 for 25 years' growth of bark-coppice, wood and bark, the latter 

 selling at 3 15s. Od. a ton, say 3s. 9d. per cwt. Tr.] 



In Germany it is impossible to put such a heavy duty on 

 imported tanning materials, that the indigenous production of 

 oak-bark, worth annually 4, 500,000, can be aided ; for the 

 value of the annual production of leather is about 30,000,000. 

 Hence the future of the oak-coppice depends solely on improved 

 management. This can be effected in two ways : Improve- 

 ment in the condition of the coppices, so that more bark of 

 better quality should be produced ; also by improving the 

 methods of harvesting and selling the bark. 



As most of these coppices belong to communes and private 

 owners of small estates, it is difficult to improve them, for 

 this cannot be done unless the managers have the requisite 

 technical knowledge. If the owners of oak-coppice would 

 co-operate in the management of large areas, and would intro- 

 duce cleanings, thinnings and soil-improvement, while the 

 bark is harvested and dried properly and the middleman 

 abolished, some improvement might be effected. 



On inferior soil, in localities with cool climates, or on cold 

 aspects, oak-coppice is doomed; it must be abandoned in such 

 places, and more remunerative systems of culture introduced, 

 either by means of agriculture, or by growing trees for wood 

 and not for. bark. High forest of broadleaved trees, or of 

 conifers, [coppice-with-standards of ash or chestnut under- 

 wood, and larch, poplar, oak and ash standards. TR.] are 

 suggested. It is not within the range of forest utilisation to 

 propose here any general measures of national forest-economy. 



SECTION IV. THE BARK OF OLD OAKS. 



As the tanner will pay only a very moderate price for the 

 bark from young oak-trees, he cannot be induced easily to 

 utilise the inner bark of old oaks or other trees ; considering 

 that their cortex and bast are relatively poorer* in tannin than 

 that of oak coppice-shoots. 



* The cortex and bast of oaks, 40 to 50 years old, according to Wolff, is as rich 

 in tannic a<-id us that of oak-coppice, provided all corky substance is excluded. 



F.U. U U 



