68 FOREST PRODUCTS 



one long ton, is commonly used. Wisconsin bark has the reputation of 

 being somewhat thinner than Michigan bark and yielding less leather 

 by weight and consequently brings a lower price. 



It is generally understood that about one-half a cord of bark can be 

 secured from 1000 bd. ft. of standing timber. This, however, partic- 

 ularly applies to trees of 20 in. and up in diameter. A smaller tree, of 

 course, yields more bark per 1000 ft., than the larger trees. In some 

 regions it is assumed that one acre of average hemlock timber will yield 

 about 7 cords of bark. This factor is naturally a very variable one, but 

 is commonly used in estimating the bark yield from a forest. With the 

 increase in the value of bark, more careful methods are being used in 

 bark peeling, and bark is removed to a much smaller diameter than here- 

 tofore. In the Lake States, the volume of bark is said to be equivalent 

 to about 19 per cent of the total cubic volume of the trees, and varies little 

 with the size of the tree. In the Southern Appalachian Mountains it is 

 said that the volume varies from 15 per cent for 6-in. trees up to 19 per 

 cent for trees 26 in. and over in diameter. The bark of the larger trees 

 is often from 2 to 3 in. in thickness at the stump, and gradually grows 

 thinner towards the tip of the trees. 



A peeling crew is commonly composed of four workers; one spudder, 

 one fitter, and two log buckers. The fitter is usually in charge of the 

 crew, and directs the activities. He first cuts two rings around the 

 tree about 4 ft. apart, and then splits the bark from ring to ring. The 

 spudder then proceeds to peel off the bark by inserting the spud between 

 the bark and the wood, and gradually pries it off. The crew then fells 

 the tree, and the bark is removed from the entire length of the bole by 

 cutting circular rings at 4-ft. intervals up the trunk and by prying off 

 the bark with the spud as explained above. As the tree falls, the log 

 cutters remove the limbs or any brushwood that may interfere with the 

 work of sawing up the trunk or the removal of the bark. 



The pieces of bark as they are removed are leaned against the trunk 

 to season. This process requires generally from one week to a month, 

 depending upon the weather conditions. After the spudder removes 

 the bark and the bole is sawed into log lengths, the crew proceeds to the 

 next tree. 



The bark, when merchantably dry, in the summer or in the fall, is 

 hauled out by means of sleds or wagons to the nearest loading point on 

 the railroad or " sleigh haul." Sometimes the bark is left until the 

 winter when it can be hauled directly on sleighs. A whole cord is often 

 loaded on a sleigh at one time. Sometimes log chutes are used to bring 



