198 BARK. 



As regards economy of labour, Neubrand states tbat workmen at 

 Lorch will peel daily from standing stems '2j — 4 bundredweights 

 of bark; by beating, bowever, witb difficulty. Ih cwt. Neubrand 

 considers beating the worst method, the best being that in force 

 in the forest range of Insbach, near Donnersberg. Here, the 

 lowest part of the bark up to li meters (4 ft. 10 in.) is removed 

 from standing stems, which are then felled level with the 

 ground, but the stumps not completely severed ; the top is 

 removed and peeled by beating, whilst the bark from the rest of 

 the stem is removed by the scalpel. Such a method is clearly 

 preferable to felling the whole stem before peeling, for the 

 quality of the bark is not impaired, and the valuable upper bark 

 can be thus utilized as well as in the other method. 



(d) Drying the Bark. — No part of the business of harvesting 

 bark has such influence on its value as the way it is dried. Any 

 neglect here may cause considerable loss. The less rain falls 

 on the peeled bark, and the more quickly the drying process is 

 conducted, the better. Observations made by Dr. Gantter,* 

 show that rain may deprive the bark of 70 % of its tannin, the 

 relative loss being more considerable with rich bark than with 

 inferior material. If the rain falls at the commencement of the 

 drying process, it is chiefly the tannin which is washed away ; 

 later-on, other soluble substances in the bark. Undoubtedly 

 rain is more disastrous on freshly-peeled bark than on bark nearly 

 dried ; but the eff"ect also depends on the persistence of the 

 rain. Tanners fear the eff'ects of rain most on dried bark, but 

 probably only on account of its consequent loss in weight. The 

 chief point in this work is, therefore, to eff'ect the drying of the 

 peeled bark in such a way that the almost certain spring-showers 

 may cause it to lose as little tannin as possible, and mildew may 

 not ensue. The best conditions for drying are to isolate the bark 

 from the moisture of the ground, to expose it fully to air 

 currents and protect it from spring-showers. It would have 

 the best efl"ect on the quality of the bark if light sheds were 

 erected in the felling-areas to keep-oft" the rain. In Hungary, 

 Transylvania, &c., bark is heaped on well-ventilated stages 

 and protected from the rain and dew by large tarpaulins, mats 



♦ llandclsbliitt fiir Waldeizeu«Miissc, XV. Year, No. 17. 



