Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-10-12

SA1,>1E .HzE Trunk -
N the springtime, when primroses
. are carpeting the copses and
hedgerows, there come gangs of
men into the Hampshire woods to
fell the oak trees and take of
their bark. They work hard, for their
Job only lasts during the flow Of the
sap, 1t being impossible to bark trees
unless the sap is in them, and the
gang are paid for the weight of the
bark which they can manage to strip
off In that time.
There are three distinct flights of
zap, each lasting about a fortnight. If
The weather is warm, the first flight
may begin early In April; but If
checked by frosty nights, perhaps not
until the beginning Of May. The last
fight is at midsummer. The first one.
Just as the buds are beginning to
swell, is the best, as the bark Is then
heavy with sap; and the last one Is
much the poorest. The bark ought to
mako q rafting sound when taken Oh,
but there is little or no rattle" in
midsummer bark, and it is much light.
er, as the sap is In the leaves. Only
black" trees, /. e.. trees that will not
strip In the spring, are left till then.
First of all, the bark has to be tested
to see II it is ready to strip. To do
this a man goes up to the oak, cuts
a bit of branch, and is thus able to
see II the sap is we'll up. This is real
" the best test. But very often, In
stead of climbing up, he marks out
with his az broad belt on the stand.
Ing tree two or three feet above the
ground, and into the cut inserts his
stripping iron, which Is an instru-
ment something like a very long
chisel. II the bark does not part read
lily from the wood, but sticks and
breaks, it shows that the sap is not
yet flowing, and the tree must be left
till later on in the season. If, how.
ever, it is ready, the barkers can run
round the tree, removing the whole
ring In one piece, so that it can be
stood up on the ground like a gigantic
cuff. Next the ''breech" bark Is re-
moved. This is the part below the
belt. and is the very best piece. It Is
taken of very carefully In narrow
strips running right down to the base
of the trunk, and the stripping sounds
| a,,e+ Tito fearing ca1icn
It IL important to throw the tree In
the right place, 80 as to avoid dam
aging its neighbors. and unless, it has
q decided lean in the desired direc
ton, this has to be managed by means
of q "sink'' and wedges. The "sink'
IN made by chopping away some Of the
trunk on tho side to which the tree Ii
to bs made to fab. Then the big
cross-cut saw comes into play, and
iron wedges are driven in closely fol
lowing the saw. II the latter gets toe
far ahead, it becomes impossible tc
ret tho wedge In. It simply flies Out
when struck, and the tree Is liable tc
fall backwards over the saw. and prob
ably does q great deal Of unnecessary
damage. The men work in gxngs and
very hard. "Ours Is very busy job,
they say; "you see, we have got to dt
It all while It yuns." and the dirtiel
they get from the sticky nap tho bet
ter pleased they are, as It shows that
It is running we'll. Three ski1ful mer
wis completely strip a medium-stzed
tree in two or three hours. Tho barl
is first divided into lengths Of about
two feet. Then, to loosen 1t, the cuts
| are tapped with the back Of q bill
hook or an ak, and the whole piece is
levered OF with the stripper. Colo
| weather and nights frosts make II
sticky and hard to take Of, but warm
weather makes the bark run" we'll
The younger members of the gang arr
called "colts," ane It is their Job t.
strip the smaller branches, while the
ganger usually does the body bark Of
trunk pieces. The bankers begin early
In the morning and go on till dark;
but, though the work is hard, they find
Il very pleasant In the woods IL
spring, and tho outdoor life seems t.
suit them. Dinner-hour is a welcome
break In the days work. The young
est colt is always also the cook, and Il
is his duty to attend to the fire and
make enormous canfuls of cocoa and
tea. He gives long whistle when all
is ready, and the men throw down
their tools, whistle to distant barkers
and go back to the camp. where they
cluster round the fire outside the tent,
cooking slices of bacon on pointed
sticks and drinking basins OF cocoa
When q tree has been entirely
stripped, forked sticks are driven into
the ground with cross poles between
them, and the pieces Of bark are neat
" stood up on end to dry, leaning
against each other with the rough
bark outside and supported BY the
(..AS ~