Our imputs of unspecified barks for tanners' and dyers' use in 1880 were :-189,399 cwt., 101,108/., from Australia ; 123,302 cwt., 32,974/., Belgium ; 57,232 cwt., 20,988/., United States ; 22,100 cwt., 6030/., Holland ; 18,648 cwt., 3676/., Italy ; 16,151 cwt., 6972/., Algeria; 22,669 cwt., 8838/., other countries ; total, 449,501 cwt., 180,586/, Our imports of unenumerated hark-extracts in the same year were valued at :-516,57K from Holland, 92,654/. France, 30,187/. United States, 16,315/. British N. America, 12,796/. Belgium, 13,769/. other countries ; total, 682,299/. Our re-exports of hsrks in 1880 were :-19,548 cwt., 10,348/., to Germany; 14,627 cwt., 7425/., France ; 4555 cwt., 3041/., Holland ; 10,301 cwt., 6080/., other countries ; total, 49,034 cwt., 26,894/.
With regard to cork-tree bark, James Gordon & Co., Liverpool, obligingly write that very little comes to England, the great bulk going direct to Ireland, where the consumption is large. The imports at Liverpool in 1880 were 186 tons, average value 8/. per ton. Of oak-bark, Hungary, in 1877, produced 25,000 tons, of which, 20,000 were exported to Germany for tanning purposes. The approximate London market values of oak-bark are :—English, 12-16/. per load of 45 cwt. ; Foreign, tree, 5-8/. a ton ; ditto, coppice, 6-8/. In 1879, Algiers exported 12,660,047 kilo. (of 2.2 lb.) of tanning bark.
Quebracho.—The local name quebracho, contracted from quebra-hacho (" axe-breaker "), is applied to several S. American trees possessing bard wood, belonging to distinct genera. They are chiefly as follows :—(1) Aspidosporma Quebracho, tbe quebracho blanco, a tree growing iu the province of Catamarca, Argentine Republic ; (2) Loxopterygium [Quebrachia] Lorentzii, the quebracho colorado, most prevalent in the province of Corrientes, the wood and bark of which come largely into commerce as tanning materials; (3) Iodina rhombifolia, tho quebracho flojo, whose wood and bark are mixed with those of No. 2 ; (4) Mackerium fertile [Tipuana speciosa], the tipa, which affords both wood and bark of less tanning value than No. 2. It would seem that the wood arid bark of No. 2 are by far the most largely employed, containing 15-23 per cent. of a bright-red tannin. The wood and an extract from it are imported into Europe.
From information kindly furnished by James Gordon & Co., and Haw & Co., of Liverpool, it appears that the irnports of quebracho-wood into Liverpool in 1880 were 200 tons, value about 4/. 11). a ten ; and of quebracho-bark, about 20 tons, none of which had been sold.
Sumach or Shumac (FR., Sumac ; GER., Gerbersumach, Schmach). —The commercial term " sumach " is applied to the dried leaves of a number of S. European and American tannin yielding plants. These are chiefly as follows :—In Sicily, the European or tanning-sumach (Rhus Coriaria); in Tuscany, R. Coriaria, often adulterated with leaves of .Pistacia lentiscus ; in Spain,
several Rhus spp., the products being divided into 3 kinds—Malaga or Priege, Malina, and Valla dolid ; in the Tyrol, the smoke-tree or fragrant or Venetian sumach (R. Cotinus); in France, Coriaria myrtifolia, divided into 4 sorts—fauvis, douzere, redoul or redon, and pudis, in Algeria, Tezera sumach (R. pentaphylla), used by the Arabs for making merocco-leather ; in N. America, the smooth or white sumach (R. glabra), the Canadian sumach (R. canadonsis), the staghorn sumach (B. typhina), and the dwarf or black sumach (.R. copallina). These are found growing wild in the countries indicated, and are further subjected to cultivation in some districts, notably in Sicily. R. glabra and R. copallina are recommended chiefly for extended cultivation in the United States.
The soil usually chosen for cultivation of the plants is poor and light; but a much larger crop of leaves can bo secured from strong, rich, deep soils, and it is generally admitted that tho product in the latter case is also better. In Italy, limestone soils are considered to be especially suited to this culture, but the American varieties appear to be well adapted to sandy and clay soils as well. The primary requisite iu a soil is that it should be well drained, the presence of stagnant water about the roots being exceedingly prejudicial. To prepare the soil for planting, it is ploughed as deeply as possible, and laid out in rows about 2 ft. apart. In Italy, small holes are made about 2 ft. long, 7 in. wide, and 5 in. deep, and a plant is inserted at each end. A more convenient method would consist in marking the field in shallow furrows in one direction 2 ft. apart, and then, with a beavy plough, tolerably deep furrows the same distance apart as, and at right angles to, the first. A plant may then be placed in the deep furrows at each intersection, the furrow again filled with the plough, and the earth pressed about the plant with the foot. If this were done in early spring-tirne, as soon as the earth is sufficiently dry te be conveniently worked, there eau be no doubt that it would be successful, while it would cbrtainly involve little cost. Plants are generally propagated from the young shoots which form each year about the base of an older plant, but may also be produced from cuttings made from young well-ripened wood, rooted by setting in a nursery or in frames, as in the propagation of grape-vines from cuttings. This latter method is scarcely ever required, however, when the cultivation has been started. Plants are also raised from 6eed, and seedlings are always found to be strong, vigorous, and thoroughly hardy ; but on account of the greater time and labour involved in their production, this method of propagation has net received extended application. The first-mentioned generally gives the quickest, and probably most satisfactory results.