The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-02-07
VAST CORN FORESTS
THOSE OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL
ARE IMMENSE IN AREA.

ana INTO Snnpe-l
ployed In the Industry.
The cork forests of Spain cover an area
Of 100000 square miles, producing the
finest cork in the world. These forests
exist in groups and cover wide belts of
territory, those in the region of Catalonia
and part of Barcelona being considered
the first in Importance. Although the
cork forests Of .Estremadura and Anda-
lusia yield cork of a much quicker growth
and possessing some excellent qualities
its consistency is less rigid. and on this
account it does not enjoy the high repu-
tation which the cork Of Catalonia does.
In Spain and Portugal, where the cork
tree. or Quercas suber, is Indigenous ii
attains to a height varying from 81 TO &C
feet and the trunk to diameter of 80 to
So inches. This species Of the evergreen
oak is often heavily caparisoned with
wide spreading branches. clothed with
oratc oblung evergreen leaves. downy I'M
derneath and the leaves slightly serrated.
Annually. between April. and May, it
produces flower of a yellbwish color
succeeded by the acorhs. Over 10000
the cultivation of cork trees, though the
tree virtually abounds in every part of
the country.
The methods in vogue in barking and
harvesting the cork in Spain and Portu-
gal are virtually the same. The barking
operation is effected when the tree has
acquired sufficient strength to withstand
the rough handling il receives during this
l. ias,
attained the fifteenth year of its growth.
After the first stripping the tree is left
in this juvcncscclt state 70 regcnerate,
subsequent strpPings being effected Al
intervals of not less than three years,
and under this Process the tree will CON
tinue TO thrive and bear for upward Of
$50 years.
The bark is stripped from the tree in
piece, two or three inches in thickness.
OF considerable length ana Of such width
as 10 retain the curved form Of the trunk
whence il has been stripped. The bark
peelcr or cutter makes a slit in the bark
with knife perpendiculally from the top
of the trunk To the bottom; he makes an
other iuciSion parallel TO and at some dis
tance from the former and two short hori-
zou-al cuts 1t the top and bottom. For
stripping of the piece thus isolated he
uses kind Of knife with TWO handles and
a curved blade. Sometimes. after two
cuts have teen made. be leaves the tree
to throw OF the bark b. spontaneous ac-
ton Of the vegetation within the trunk.
The first process through which the
bark passes after stripping is that of boil
ing. This is sometimes done in tie
woods but more frequently in the cork
factory. in large specially constructed
caldronS in which the bark is left 10 boil
for upward Of an hour. causing an in
crease of thickness generally Of one
fourth 70 onpdftht. elasticity of the cork
and dissolution or the tannln and other
substances The boiling OF the cork can
also be effected by steam. for which pur
pose it i Introduced into a wooden box
lined with copper or zinc. which is filed
with water and steam injected therein.
/ The loss of weight effected by boiling the
cork varies between - and 10 per cent
In making corks il IS necessary to take
away the hard crust or raspa. for which
a tool is used with a short handle and
curved blade. SerapinG machines are
I also used two systems being employed
the Besson and TouSseau The former.
+ propelled by steam. consists principally
of horizontal Spindles supplied with comb
/ like teeth and turning al the rate Of 400
I revolutions a minute The Tousseau
scraper attacks the cork by means If a
vertical iron shaft carrying several knives.
/ whose edges are also vertical. and by a
I rotary movement Of the shaft. giving
/ hoo turns minute. work like brush.
Before cutting the slabs into strips
they are cooked for about half an hour 50
as 10 facilitate the cutting and piled up
soon afterward in a damp place. 50 as to
preserve the softness until ready to oper
ate upon. The slabs are divided into
three strips the width of which Is equal
TO the length Of the corks. and in such
way that if the corks be placed in the Pc
sition occupied by the slab on the tree
they would have their fhers running
alike. The workmen cut the strips by
means Of knife with fat surface and
curved edge, called cuchilla de ra hanar
The strips are then made into squares 10y
means Of the cuchlla They then have
the edges cut and are ready to be made
into corks
The squares pass into the hands of
workman who is furnished with a knife
composed of two pieces-one Of them
similar to an ordinary knife and the other
a blade the edge of which fits into the
first He holds the knife by small iron
catch to the table in front OF HIM and.
giving the square circular movement.
the result is that a cork is made in few
seconds The squares are usually boiled
for about quarter of an hour They
are then deposited in a cool place, and
fonr or FIVE days afterward they are sort
ell and kept damp until required
Machines are also employed 10 make
corks and all consist. at the base. Of a
knife the blade of which is placed horn
zonfally Joined generally 10 a piece Of
wood. 10 which backward and forward
movement l. given similar TO thar Of
carpen'rr'> plane In moving the knife
turns lhr square cork which. being at
tackled iy he Knife takes off a strip Of
cork more 90 ie~> thick. according TO the
distance from tho axle of the cork 10 the
etl.r ~ 'h. knife II these are parallel
tie result : LAT the cork is cylindrical
and II urt % mes conlcal The cork
mukc' ar woth'aau has several large has
kri>. lufn winch Ii, places the cork> ac-
curd're "a size al qualify but this first
cia> la"aiion Is not sufficient and the
COZ a.e placed upon table and more
ca ,.rliv snrted Ia classify the corks
accrr.line ~ sin wnoden boxes are. en-
pinyod 10, hn' ans uf which can be TAX
on nut ~ PM w. having a kind of graf
ing uf vuud
TIL, nrks are worked in a solution Of
Oxalic acid II hiuxaare of potash As
L.. yto