PRODUCTION OF YOUNG OAK-BARK. 



497 



not without prejudice, as may be imagined, to the reproduction 

 of shoots from the stools. 



[It is now customary nearly all over France, in peeling oak-bark, 

 to make a circular cut through the bark of the stem at a suitable 

 height (say 3| feet) from the ground and a similar one level with 

 the ground (fig. 274) ; a longitudinal cut is then made between 

 these two marks and the bark 



removed by means of the bone- ^^<^- ^''^• 



scalpel (fig. 266) in a single piece, 

 forming a roll of bark, "which 

 oan then be dried. Another ; 



strip is then removed, as high ."■. 



iis a man can reach, and the 

 stem is then felled, and peeled 

 in a similar manner, as it lies 

 on the ground. — Tr.]* 



It is not yet decided whether 

 peeling felled or unfelled stems 

 is preferable, although most 

 foresters prefer the former 

 method; much may be said 

 for and against either. It is 

 contended against peeling 

 standing stems that it is not 

 then possible to use the bark 

 on all branches down to the 

 thickness of a finger, for the uppei 

 method is frequently left unpeeled.t 

 standing stems is advantageous in economising labour, in better 

 drying the bark which remains hanging on the stems, and 

 because beating is then unnecessary. The chief disadvantage of 

 peeling felled stems consists in the fact that beating cannot be 

 avoided ; in consequence, the bark depreciates in quality and 

 mildews, the work is more slowly done and there is a consider- 

 able loss of bark (about 21%) when the axe is used to shorten 

 the billets ; whilst by peeling standing stems, the undamaged 

 l)ark is obtained in a closed roll. 



(After Boppe). 



part of the shoots in this 

 At the same time, to peel 



* Boppe, op. cit. p. 103. 



t [This is not the case with this method in France.— Ti;.] 



VOL. V. 



