396 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &C. 



chief, and often brought on the destruction of the 

 tree, especially if old. In particular I beg to say, 

 that if a tree be young, Nature will exert herself 

 to recover from the injury ; but, if the tree be old, 

 it will cease to grow about the injured part, will 

 not increase in size, the wound will daily increase, 

 and in time destroy all the timber of the tree. 



In answer to the second question, I beg to say, 

 that Oak-trees are equally liable to decay and de- 

 triment, as all other trees, though their decay will 

 be proportionably slow, as they are less porous than 

 many other trees of our island ; though I should 

 add, that after Oak-trees are so far decayed as to 

 hold water, their decay is as rapid as most other 

 trees. In answer to the question, " Do you know any 

 means by which such detriment may be effectually 

 prevented ? " I beg to say, that after many years 

 close application, and strictly critical observation, 

 I am fully convinced, that upon the excision of 

 the decayed part, and the application of a Compo- 

 sition, it is possible to heal any wounded tree, and 

 even to restore it to its former health, if there be 

 only an inch or two of bark remaining, to carry on 

 the circulation of the vegetable economy. This is 

 no theory, but is dem,onstrated by a great variety 

 of experiments on fruit and forest trees in His 

 Majesty's Gardens at Kensington, now under my 

 care ; and which trees, upon examination, have 

 convinced all those who viewed them, of the prac- 

 ticability of producing the finest, cleanest, and 

 most prolific branches from stumps in a state of 



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