PRODUCTION OF YOUNG OAK-BARK. 



steel blade attached to its upper extremity. — Tr.] This simple 

 implement is preferable to those made of iron, the best of which 

 are : (fig. 247) a peeling-iron used near the river Saar, (fig. 268) 

 one used near the river Lahn, (fig. 269) Wohmaun's peehng-irou. 

 For felling and removing the branches of the shoots, the hatchet 

 (fig. 270) is used in the Odenwald, its back being also used in 

 beating the bark ; "Wohmann's bill-hook (fig. 271) is also an excel- 

 lent instrument, especialh' for peeling bark from standing stems. 



Fig. 271. 



Fig. 267. Fig 



Fig. 266. 



J 



(After Boppe.) 



The shock owing to the beating loosens the bark from the wood 

 at other points besides those beaten, but the peeling is not 

 always so easy that the bark can be removed in one piece from 

 the wood merely after beating on one side of the pieces ; in that 

 case, the billet must be turned and beaten all round, and the 

 peeling-knife brought into play. In every case, however, beating 

 the bark is a rough operation, which always causes a loss of 

 tannin, for the cambium-zone which holds the most tannin 

 is easily crushed, and if rain should fall, much of it is washed 

 away ; besides this, the beaten places soon turn brown and 

 become much sooner mildewed than when the bark is not beaten. 

 Considering, that the loss of tannin, owing to beating, has been 

 estimated at about 20%, it is desirable that beating shoald as 

 much as possible be abandoned, and wherever it is obligatory, 

 that it should be done with wooden mallets, and the shoot which 



