PEACTICAL FORESTRY. 



Previous 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., which not only prevents its being 

 injured when laying in and felling the tree, but is convenient 

 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 pre- 

 pared 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 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. 



Heavy timber and large branches are usually peeled where 

 they fall, but it will be found convenient to have the smaller 

 trees and branches carried out to some clear space adjoining 

 the stacking ground, and peeled while one end is supported 

 by means of two forked sticks placed against each other. 

 When the bark of small branches cannot readily be removed 

 by the peeling-iron, a smooth, flat stone is brought into use, 

 beside which the peeler sits, and with one hand holds the 

 branch on the stone, moving it along from one end to the 

 opposite, at the same time applying the mallet with the other 

 hand until the bark becomes loosened from the wood. Here 

 it may be well to caution against a too frequent use of the 

 mallet, which should never be brought into request when 

 the bark can be otherwise removed from the wood, as all 

 hammering and beating not only diminishes the quantity of 

 tannin, but has a tendency to blacken the fleshy part of the 

 bark and cause rapid decay in a bad season. The body, or 

 trunk bark is removed in lengths of from 30 in. to 36 in., 

 and in as large pieces as possible. 



A dry, open, and airy situation, convenient to the work, 

 but without the wood, should be selected on which to harvest 

 the bark, and rather than do so in a sheltered, humid spot, 

 it should be carted to some distance off. The drying racks, 

 or ranges, maybe fully 2 ffc. high, drooping somewhat to one 

 side, and formed of forked sticks driven firmly in the ground, 



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