In fair Weather, it not being a succulent Root, they will sufficiently dry if spread on a Floor, or a clean Part of the Field; a little Wet, will in no case damage them. In case of very wet Weather, and continued, they may be Kiln dryed, in the same Manner as Bark.
When dryed, they must be bruised or ground, either more or less, according to the Uses design’d, or to the Proportion you require them to spend in. In case they should not be sufficiently washt, when they are pounded, or ground a little, it would be adviseable to sift the Dirt, or Earth, which by this Means is broken, and seperated from them.
When thus prepared, you must proceed in the same Manner, and lay away, intirely, with the same Circumstances as with Bark.
It hath often been objected, That if this Method should obtain, Planting would be discouraged, and so prejudice the landed Interest. That it is used in the Canary Islands and that though it may be done effectually there, yet the Produce of our Country might have Qualities very different, or not exalted to such a Degree, as to be of a requisite Force.
To these, I would answer.
That Bark would always bear a Price, in Proportion to the Rate of what is substituted in lieu thereof; It would be far from being rendered useless, but only suffer a Diminution in Value.
That Diminution would be more than ballanced by the accelerated Growth, and Worth of the Timber. At present we fall our Woods so young, and at such improper Seasons, on Account of the Bark, that the Timber is neither so good, and little more than fit for Ribberies, and Cabbins; whereas otherwise, was the present Inducement, the great Price of Bark diminished, we should have full, and well grown Timber, cut at a due Season, and proper for Edifices, and Shipping.
The Improvement of those Lands that now are unprofitable, or not far from such, would be another Ballance, if not wholly, yet in Part, to the apprehended Injury.
The Use of this Root hath not been confined to the Canaries. The Reverend Mr. Lucas Jacobson Debes, in his History of the Islands of Feroe says Page 120, “Here groweth a huge Quantity of Tormentil, which the Inhabitants, having no Bark of Trees to tan their Hydes with, make Use of; God and Nature having revealed to them the Dryness of that Herb, so that they tan their Skins with it, and therefore call it Bark.” And Page 271. “The Men wear Shoes of Neats Leather, tanned with the Roots of Tormentil.”
The first of these Islands, is in the Latitude of 28, the other in 62. Yet we find the same Roots used for the same Purposes, though probably they may differ in Degrees of Power.