XX PREFACE TO THE 



opinion. But I can with satisfaction assure him, 

 that from the time when I first applied my 

 plaster to such wounded trees, which is now 

 many years since, it escapes my recollection, and 

 that of many others who have been constantly 

 employed in the Royal Gardens at Kensington, 

 that a single tree, either Apricot, Peach, or 

 Nectarine, has died from being cut over, while 

 under my mode of management ; though that opera- 

 tion has on some occasions been performed under 

 circumstances extremely unfavourable to its suc- 

 cess : in particular, four Trees, namely, three 

 Peach and one Nectarine ; which had been dug 

 out of the ground and laid on a mould-heap, 

 exposed to the rigour of severe frosts, &c. Those 

 trees are now open to the view of Mr. Knight, 

 or any other gentleman who may choose to inspect 

 them. I find, however, that it is not a few 

 only of such trees that have been headed-in by 

 me ; for, upon an investigation with a view to 

 answer this question, 1 numbered no fewer than 

 sixty Peach, Apricot, and Nectarine Trees, that 

 have been so cut over and restored to a high 

 state of health and fruitfulness, and which are 

 now in as flourishing a state as I could wish 

 trees of that sort to be. Neither were these 

 operations performed in secret, or with any view 

 to concealment, but openly, under the eye and 

 with the assistance of the Gardeners employed in 

 the gardens, who have all had opportunities to 



