The study of its origin leads us to that romantic part of the world
bordering the Mediterranean Sea from which we have already received so
much in all branches. The cork-producing country practically covering
the whole of Portugal sweeping toward the East through the southern
districts known as Andalusia and Estremadura, thence northeast,
embracing thousands of acres of forests in Catalonia. Spain and Portugal
dividing honors among the nations in the annual yield of raw material,
with perhaps the advantage leaning slightly to the latter.[4] This being
partly due to increased area, no doubt, as the geographical situation is
the same but with the irrigation feature slightly in favor of Spain, as
through the corkwood country flows the Guadalquivir River in addition to
the three which also pass through Portugal, consisting of the Douro,
Tagus and Guadiana in the west, and the Ebro in the Gerona district.
[4] Armstrong Cork Co.’s pamphlet.
Tunis and Algeria[5] rank next in importance with Southern France,
including Corsica following closely. Italy (Tuscany) too with the help
of Sardinia and Sicily continuing to be quite a factor in meeting the
demand for the crude material, while across the Strait of Gibraltar the
sun-scorched forests of Morocco at El-araish are as yet undeveloped,
although rapidly being pressed into service.
[5] There are large forests of cork on the French Colony of Algeria,
particularly on an estate granted by the Emperor Napoleon III to
M. le duc de Montebello.—H. G. GLASSPOOLE.
The geographical formation of Portugal is extremely favorable for the
rearing of cork trees, every evidence of this characteristic being well
marked by the densely thick groups of cork trees to be seen in certain
regions, especially in the Valley of the Tagus and the Sierra de
Portalegre provinces of Alemtejo and Algarve, which are the chief
bearing centers of this country,[6] the area devoted to their
cultivation being approximately 366,000 hectares.
[6] Chambers Journal.
In Spain it is found in the Provinces of Gerona, Caceres, Andalusia,
Huelvas, Seville, Cadiz, Ciudad Real, Malaga, Cordoba and Toledo in the
order named.
According to a calculation made by the administration of forests the
extent of cork forests in Spain is about 255,000 hectares,[7] viz.
80,000 in the Province of Gerona, 54,000 in Huelvas, 32,500 in Caceres,
28,000 in Seville, 20,000 in Cadiz, 11,500 in Ciudad Real and 9500 in
Cordoba. The remainder is distributed between ten other provinces.[8]
[7] One hectare = 2.471 acres.
[8] Consul Schenck’s Report.
In the Province of Gerona is included a large territory stretching
northward towards the Pyrenees to the Valley of the Muge and Ter. In
France, according to Consul Goldschmidt of Nantes, the cork-producing
territory is divided as follows: Var, 280 acres; Lot-et-Garonne, 27
acres; Landes, 32 acres; Corsica, 40 acres; making about 379 acres in
all.
This résumé of the cork-producing countries of Europe will convey some
idea of the extent of the forests, and will also show the climate sort
by the tree; for it is proven that it flourishes best in an altitude of
1600 to 3000 feet, in an average mean temperature of 55° Fahrenheit; and
at points beyond 45° north latitude its successful propagation is
doubtful.
The Mediterranean Basin is particularly suitable for the rearing of
corkwood, and although many attempts have been made to transplant the
seed, the results have proven fatal.
Notable among these attempts being the American ambition to introduce
the tree in the United States. Portuguese acorns were brought to Wayne
County, Mississippi, and planted in 1859; the result, as far as the
growth was concerned, was splendid; but after a wait of eleven years,
the final crop was not a commercial success. Another attempt was made in
1872, in southern California, but with no better outcome than the first,
in which some of the trees attained to a height of thirteen feet (3.965
meters) and the stem, to a diameter of eleven inches (2.794 decimeters),
including the cork, which attained a thickness of one inch (2.540
centimeters). This evidently rapid growth would infer that the American
zone was all that could be desired for the favorable rearing of cork
trees; but strange to say this was not the case. Although the growth of
the tree had been exceptionally strong, the quality of its salient
product turned out to be of an inferior character. The cork generally
improves with the age of the tree; in this instance, however, even after
years of maturity the cork harvest did not improve to any great extent,
and indeed is still of a second-rate quality.[9] And Consul S. C. Reat,
writing from Tamsui, recently reports the efforts of the Japanese
Government to plant cork trees in Formosa and the Ogasawara Isles, in
the endeavor to supply small corks to the Japanese merchants, the result
of which, is yet to be learned.
[9] _Chambers Journal._