230 
FIR TREE. 
carefully taken off, and the soft, white, fibrous, and 
succulent matter collected and dried. The time of 
the year chosen for the purpose is when the albur- 
num is soft, and spontaneously separates from the 
wood by very gentle pulling, otherwise too much 
labour would be required. When the natives are 
about to convert it to use, it is slowly baked on the 
coals, and, being then rendered more porous and 
hard, is ground into powder, which is kneaded with 
water into cakes, and baked in an oven.” 
The Siberian ermine-hunters likewise use the 
inner bark of the pine when the yeast which they 
carry with them to make their quass is spoiled by 
the cold. This substitute answers their purpose 
after it has been digested a certain time in water, 
over the fire; then mixed with rye-meal, and finally 
buried in the snow for twelve hours. 
