390 Forsyth's composition. 



away all the dead, decayed, and injured part, till you come 

 at the fresh sound wood, leaving the surface of the wood 

 very smooth, and rounding off the edges of the bark with a 

 draw-knife or other instrument, perfectly smooth, which must 

 be particularly attended to ; then lay on the plaster about 

 an eighth of an inch thick, all over the part where the wood 

 or bark has been so cut away, finishing off the edges as thin 

 as possible. Then tftke a quantity of dry powder of wood- 

 ashes mixed with a sixth part of the same quantity of the 

 ashes of burnt bones ; put it into a tin box with holes in the 

 top, and shake the powder on the surface of the plaster till 

 the whole is covered with it, letting it remain for half an hour 

 to absorb the moisture ; then apply more powder, rubbing 

 it on gently with the hand, and repeating the application 

 of the powder till the whole plaster becomes a dry, smooth 

 surface. 



" If any of the composition be left for a future occasion, 

 it should be kept in a tub or other vessel, and urine poured 

 on it so as to cover the surface, otherwise the atmosphere 

 will greatly hurt the efficacy of the application. 



" When lime rubbish of old buildings cannot be easily got, 

 take pounded chalk or common lime, after having been 

 slaked a month at least. 



" As the growth of the trees will gradually affect the plas- 

 ter, by raising up its edges next the bark, care should be 

 taken, when that happens, to rub it over with the finger when 

 occasion may require, (which is best done when moistened 

 by rain,' that the plaster may be kept whole, to prevent the 

 air and v/et penetrating into the wound." 



Mr. Forsyth says, farther on, " As the best way of using 

 the composition is found by experience to be in a liquid state, 

 it must, therefore, be reduced to the consistence of a pretty 

 thick paint, by mixing it up with a sufficient quantity of urine 

 and soap-suds, and laid on with a painter's brush. The 

 powder of wood-ashes and burnt bones is to be applied as 

 before directed, patting it down with the hand." 



Although I do not feel disposed to go the length of ad- 

 mitting all that has been said of the virtues of this compo- 

 sition, I believe it to be a very excellent one to be applied to 

 trees where their limbs have been amputated, or their bark 

 injured by wounds. I have therefore inserted its prepa- 

 ration here, verbatim, from Mr. Forsyth's Treatise, and re- 



