Utilizing Waste Forest- Produce 255 



realize a profit of from 8s. to 10s. per cord of wood. 



(3) Bark. In the past, the annual home supply of 

 bark was estimated at about 300,000 tons, but, in addition 

 to this some 30,000 tons were imported from the Continent ; 

 but of late years, owing to the employment of chemical 

 substitutes, the amount used is much smaller. For tanning 

 purposes, oak, and occasionally larch, bark is principally 

 in use in this country, though both willow and alder are 

 largely used for the same purpose in various countries, 

 more especially in Russia. Although not at present a 

 valuable product, a small margin of profit, even at the 

 present low price, will accrue through careful and judicious 

 management of the bark crop. Of this we are fully con- 

 vinced. It is, perhaps, not so well known as it should be 

 that of our two varieties of oak, Quercus Robur pedunculata 

 and Q. R. cessiliftora the former contains 15 and the latter 

 only 13 per cent, of tannin. The branches, too, down to 

 an inch in diameter, contain a relatively higher proportion 

 of tannin than the bark of the stem. 



The stripping and harvesting of oak bark having received 

 notice in a separate paper, nothing further need be said of 

 these here. 



(4) Faggots. These are made of the smaller branches 

 or spray, the remains of charcoal- wood, etc., and tied into 

 bundles similar in size to a sheaf of wheat. They are either 

 left lying on the ground or standing upright in threes or 

 fours together for a few days after being made, previous to 

 being stacked, as they always are for about six months 

 before being used. In thinning a woodland the faggots 

 are usually bound up by contract at 4s. 6d. per hundred, 

 except when the wood is exceptionally rough and crooked, 

 when another shilling is added. When stacked and dry 

 they realize about 16s. per hundred in the wood, thus 

 giving a clear profit of Us. 6^., if we deduct 4s. 6d., for 

 binding, per hundred. 



In England the demand for these faggots is considerable, 

 they being used either for kiln purposes, or, when chopped 

 up into smaller bundles, for fire-lighting. These latter 

 are about 9 in. long, and half that in diameter, and 



