Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/430

396&#93; ^9<>] BAR that descend from the plume of each individual bud to its radicle, and form its Caudex. The root- bark, however, is provided with lymphatics, for the absorption of •water and nutritious juices from the earth, and is covered with a nioister cuticle ; while ti)at of the stem has similar vessels for absorb- ing humidity from the air, and is furnished with a drier cuticle. Beside the purposes to which the bark of trees may be applied, and ■which have already been enumerat- ed, there is a considerable quan- tity of mucilaginous or nutritious matter contained in the inner rind, or bark of the holly, elm, and also (according to Dr. D.'s conjecture), in that of the hawthorn, goose- berry, furze, or oilier trees armed •wiili prickles, for preventing the depredations of animals. This mucilage, he conceives, may be Used in times of scarcity, as food, cither for man or for cattle, or at least for the purpose of fermenta- tion. He remarks,, that the inner bark of elm-trees^ when stripped off iu the spring", and boiled in water, may doubtless be converted into a palatable small-beer, with the addition of yeast. The quantity of bark on a tree may be increased by pinching off the fiower-BUDS, as soon as they appear J but, if the former be "ttounded by any accident, the edges of the dead rind ought to be carefully cut oil', without injuring the hving bark ; and a mixture of white lead and boiled oil (see vol. j. p. 432) be applied, to preserve the wounded parts from air, mois- ture, and insects. — The following method of cure, which is staled to have been successfully pradiscd where the bark of a tree had re- cently been torn off, we give on BAR the authority of Dr. Dak wi s. It consists simply in again fastening the same piece of bark, or in tying down another piece from a tree, be- longing to the same species ; the edges of the wound and bark being carefully adjusted j in consequence of which, the whole will combine in the same manner as the vessels of a scyon unite with those of the bark belonging to the engrafted stock. A patent was lately granted to Mr. Whitby, for his improved mill, calculated to grind bark for the use oi tanners. It is performed by a number of cutting wheels, that are fixed upon axles, and chop the bark to pieces j which then fall through an eye, and pass be- tween two large cast-iron plates, with grooves or furrows that are cut either hollow, or are bevelled square. The lower plate is made to move in a circular direftion, with a view to facilitate the en- trance of the bark into the eye. — . These plates are set in motion by the mechanism commonly em- j>loyed in mills. This machinery, when moved by a horse, grinds 3 cwt. of bark, in one hour ; but as the plates which constitute the chief inven- tion in this mill, may be made of any circumference, according to the^ power by which they are impelled, "the quantity ground in a certain time, will vary in proportion to their size, — ^The advantages stated to be derived from Mr. Whitby's contrivance are, a saving of the bark, and greater expedition in the process of tanning : for the rind thus reduced, without being pul- verized, fpends more rapidly and completely in the pits, tCan that prepared in mills of the common construction. Patents