A dry, open and airy situation, convenient to the work, but without the wood, should be selected on which to harvest the bark, and rather than this should be done in a sheltered, humid spot, the bark should be carted to some distance off. The drying racks, or ranges, may be fully 2 ft. high, drooping somewhat to one side, and formed of forked sticks driven firmly in the ground, while stout rods are placed transversely upon these. It should also be so arranged as that not only may the rain be thrown off, but so that the ends of the bark may be facing the prevailing wind, thereby insuring a current of air through and beneath the mass. After being carted or carried to the drying-ground, the small bark is spread out loosely on the stage to a depth of about 6 in., and thatched or covered over with the larger pieces as a means of protection against rain. Each day’s bark should be cleared up, and put on the range the same evening, and oftener, if found necessary, during damp showery weather, keeping the white or fleshy part downwards and using the larger pieces as covers to run off the rain. During favourable weather the bark will be ready for stacking in about a fortnight from the time it was placed on the stage, but should close damp weather intervene, it may be found necessary to turn the bark occasionally, thus adding to the length of time required for harvesting. It should, however, be remembered that the less turning the bark receives after being placed on the stage the better will the quality be. Well-seasoned bark has the fleshy side of a creamy colour, whereas such as has been exposed to the sun or rain is of a dull brown, and is wanting in tannin matter, and consequently of inferior value. As soon as the bark is thoroughly dry and ready for stacking, which may readily be ascertained by its breaking freely across rather than bending or yielding to pressure, it should be secured in a shed, ricked, or delivered to the tanner. In stacking bark the rick should not be made too wide—say about 9 ft.—but well hearted, so that the side pieces may have a good fall or declivity outwards to throw off the rain. The rick may be of any length, according to the quantity of bark on hand, and of a height proportionate to the width. The largest pieces of bark should be reserved for thatching the rick, the whole being covered over by a tarpaulin or waterproof cloth of some kind. In most cases the bark is chipped previously to being sold, but as this necessitates having a large shed at command, the system is not generally adopted. There are, however, several advantages accruing from this method, not the least of which is that the bark may be chopped up as it is removed from the drying-stands, thus saving the expense of stacking. Chopping the bark can also be done by the workmen during wet weather, and when not otherwise engaged. In computing the quantity of bark before stripping, we have found the following data fairly reliable:—