OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 415 



cavity, which it will do in time^ so as to make as 

 it were a new tree. If the cavity be large, you 

 may cut away as much at one operation as will be 

 sufficient for three years. But in this you are to 

 be guided by the size of the wound, and other cir- 

 cumstances. When the new wood, advancing 

 from both sides of the w ound, has almost met, cut 

 off the bark from both the edges, that the solid 

 wood may join, which, if properly managed, it 

 will do, leaving only a slight seam in the bark. If 

 the tree be very much decayed, do not cut away 

 all the dead wood at once, which would weaken the 

 tree too much, if a standard, and endanger it being 

 blown down by the wind. It will, therefore, be 

 necessary to leave part of the dead wood, at first, 

 to strengthen the tree, and to cut it out by degrees 

 as the new wood is formed. If there be any can- 

 ker, or gum oozing, the infected parts must be 

 pared off, or cut out with a proper instrument. 

 When the stem is very much decayed, and hollow, 

 it will be necessary to open the ground and ex- 

 amine the roots ; then proceed as directed for 

 hollow Peach-trees ; [^see Plates II. and V. which 

 shew the manner of preparing hollow trees, and 

 also the growing of the wood.] 



Some months before the publication of the " Ob- 

 servations on the Diseases, &c. in Fruit and Forest 

 Trees,'* I had tried the Composition in a liquid 

 state, but did not think myself warranted to make 

 it public until I had experienced its effects through 



