Barking Oak 221 



of the country in which the operation is to be performed. 

 During ordinary seasons, and in most parts of England, 

 bark-stripping commences during the third week in April 

 and continues for about a month, or until such time as the 

 trees are in full leafage, whereas in some parts of Scotland, 

 especially the north, the operation is frequently nearly a 

 month later. No mistake can, however, arise as to the 

 right time to start barking in any locality, as in all cases 

 the period when the bud is first bursting into leaf will be 

 found the proper time for felling to insure easy stripping 

 and the best quality of bark. As the season of bark-strip- 

 ping is, therefore, of short duration, every preparation 

 should be made beforehand trees marked and numbered, 

 tools in readiness, and squads arranged so that an early 

 start may be made, as, by deferring the work beyond the time 

 stated above, there is not only a perceptible loss in weight, 

 but considerable deterioration in the quality of bark as well. 



Elaborate directions regarding the arrangements of 

 squads and tools to be used are unnecessary, as almost every 

 district has its own peculiarities in this way. The tools 

 generally in use are heavy axes and the cross-cut saw for 

 felling, hand-bills and saws for pruning, peeling-irons or 

 chisels for removing the bark, scrapers for removing moss, 

 and light wooden mallets for beating refractory bark or 

 such as cannot be removed by the peeling-irons alone. 



Previously to felling the trees a man or stout lad is sent 

 before, who removes the bark from the root upwards for 

 a distance of 2 ft. or 3 ft. ; this not only prevents its being 

 injured when laying in and felling the tree, but is con- 

 venient for after-stripping as well. When the stools are 

 intended for reproduction great care is necessary to avoid 

 tearing or loosening the bark from the roots. After being 

 thus prepared the trees are felled in the usual manner, 

 those under 6 in. in diameter being cut with the axe ; above 

 that size it is found an economy of time and timber to fell 

 with the cross-cut saw. Following in the rear of the cutters 

 should be a squad of men, to clear the trunk and larger 

 limbs of all branches down to 1 in. in diameter, leaving 

 the limbs to be peeled as part of the tree. 



