vi PREFACE. 



better to bring the whole controversy forward, 

 and make it tell its own story, because, so far as 

 I am aware, no account of the matter has as yet 

 been put before the English student, and so many 

 points of interest turn up by the way. 



No author could well approach the subject of 

 the diseases of timber without consulting the 

 works of De Bary and R. Hartig ; nor attempt 

 to classify woods without referring to the labours 

 of Nordlinger and Gamble in addition : to these, 

 and to the writings of Frank, Sorauer, Will- 

 komm, Hesse, and others, I take this opportunity 

 of acknowledging many obligations. 



COOPER'S HILL, 1889. 



