WOODS AND COPSES. [May. 



At the end of each day's work, the bark is 

 carried to, and laid acrofs the horfes, to the thiqk- 

 nefs of fix or eight inches. The large boardy 

 pieces of bark are built into fmall pyramidal 

 flacks, or fet up on end leaning againfl the horfes. 

 If the weather be very dry and fine, the bark 

 Ihould be turned twice a day, or at lead once a 

 day. Gentle fhowers are found beneficial to it ; 

 "while fevere rains, of long continuance, are very 

 hurtful. A careful hag-man will take pains to 

 lay the flrong boardy pieces of the bark in fuch 

 a manner as to defend the more tender parts from 

 fevere rains. Great care is to be ufed to preferve 

 the colour of the inner bark ; becaufe the colour 

 of this is generally looked to as a principal cri- 

 terion of its value. It is chiefly by the colour of 

 the inner bark, and the aflringent effects which it 

 produces upon the palate when tailed, that the 

 merchant or tanner judges of the value of the 

 bark. If, therefore, by the viciffitudes of the 

 weather, or the neglect of the hagman, the bark 

 fre blemimed even in colour,, its value is very 

 much diminifhed. 



When it is fufficiently dry to be in no danger 

 of fermentation, it mould be carried to a dry 

 houfe or {hade. Where fuch cannot be had, it 

 Ihould be Hacked up in the fame manner as hay. 

 It may be proper to notice here, that flacks of 

 bark Humid not be ib large as to incur the rifk 



of 



