May."} BARKING OAK WOOD. 407 



The larger branches, young trees, and full 

 grown timber trees, are laid along on the ground: 

 the upper fide of the tree to be barked is beat 

 with force by the mallet from one end of the tree 

 to the other. The bark is then darted at the 

 thick end, by thrufting or driving in the wedge ; 

 which being thrud along the whole length, the 

 bark is fpeedily ripped open. 



The wedge is then applied under the bark at 

 both fides of the incifion. The firm parts are 

 then fucceffively beat by the^mallet, and the 

 wedge gradually pufhed along till the whole be 

 completely fevered from the timber. 



The point mod particularly to be obferved m 

 this art, is the taking off the bark in as long 

 fhreds as poflible, for the conveniency of carriage 

 to, and drying it on what are called the horses. 



Thefe are formed of long branches, and two 

 or more pieces of about a yard in length, fharpened 

 at one end, and having a knag or fork at the 

 other to receive and fupport the long branch. 



The horfes may (land within four or five feet 

 of each other, and fo as to have a declivity from 

 one end to the other, that the occafional rains 

 may the more eafily run off. A dry elevated 

 fpot, in an airy place, is the mod proper for e- 

 recting the horfes upon, in order that the bark, 

 when laid upon them, may. have a free circula- 

 tion of air when drying, 



At 



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