162 



METHOD OF MAKING 



METHOD OF MAKING THE BARK BED ; ITS GENE- 

 RAL MANAGEMENT AND UTILITY. 



Par. 8. — Tan or bark may be obtained at any 

 season of the year from the tanners, it being the 

 bark of the oak cut or ground small for the purpose 

 of tanning hides, and after its properties for that 

 purpose are exhausted, it is thrown from the tan 

 vats, and then becomes a most useful article for 

 the hothouse ; but always select that which is the 

 most fresh, or at least such as has not been too 

 long out of the vats to have lost its strength and 

 fermenting qualities, and make choice of the 

 moderately-large cut or middling, in preference 

 to the very small bark, which decays sooner 

 than the larger cut tan, and likewise sooner 

 becomes earthy, or in a dungy state. 



In the neighbourhood of London, particularly 

 in the borough of Southwark, any quantity may 

 be obtained, there being many large tanneries. 

 The price generally charged for the bark, is 

 about five shillings for forty bushels, and so on 

 in proportion, according to the size of your cart 

 or waggon, or quantity required ; and when ob- 



