^8 



ence of every person who has devoted 

 much tune to the subject; and to such 

 as cannot be biassed by the opinions of o- 

 thers, we would say, form your own, by 

 carefully observing nature's " unassisted 

 operatmis" in any wood, two or three 

 y^ars after it has been fallen. There you 

 may see, not only how rapidly new 

 trees rise from old stumps, where the 

 soil is tolerably good, and proper atten- 

 tion paid to displacing superfluous shoots; 

 but likewise what astonishing exertions 

 the same powee. makes in healing 

 wounds, whether occasioned by branches 

 taken off, (provided the^^ are cut close,) 

 or by the drawing or dragging out the 

 timber. In the latter business, many a 

 ghastly scar is inflicted, and yet they 

 heal unnoticed; indeed it is the facili- 

 ty with which the operation is attend- 

 ed, that occasions it to be so little 

 observed and known. In the subsequent 

 pages, we shall have to treat somewhat 

 hu'gely upon the nature of wounds in 



3 



