194 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



with its best interests, I have that clear conviction which I trust, 

 will be hereafter communicated to every part of the kingdom 

 where the application of my experience shall be made and 

 prosecuted. 



The inquisitive spirit which accompanied my professional 

 pursuits, with the natural desire of improving my private 

 practice in the management of the various kinds of trees under 

 my care, led me by degrees to this discovery. The idea, how- 

 ever, of making it public never occurred to me, till the many 

 trials and experiments that I had repeatedly made, both on 

 fruit and forest-trees, in the Royal Gardens at Kensington, had 

 attracted the notice of many persons of high rank, as well as 

 philosophical eminence, and prompted them to favour it with 

 a particular examination. Their investigation of my process 

 and method of curing the defects and injuries which, from va- 

 rious causes, those trees had sustained, by producing convic- 

 tion in their minds, gave the most flattering encouragement to 

 me. Indeed, the application of the remedy had been attended 

 with such uninterrupted success, that its salutary and certain 

 effects were evident to every one who favoured it with an atten* 

 live observation. Many, who visited me with the most decided 

 opinions against the successful application of any remedy for 

 trees in a very advanced state of decay, did not hesitate, on an 

 investigation of the subject, to acknowledge that their preju- 

 dices were not only removed, but that their judgments were 

 perfectly convinced of the powerful efficacy of the discovery, 

 and the very great advantages which, both in an individual and 

 a national view, might be derived from it. 



Among the more early enquirers, were the Commissioners 

 appointed by Parliament to examine into the state of the woods, 

 forests, and land revenues of the crown ; who, in the course of 

 their surveys, had perceived a great number of trees in the 

 Royal Forests to be materially injured ; and their anxiety to 

 prevent the loss or further damage of so much valuable timber 

 induced them to honour me with a letter* concerning the 

 effects of injuries done to oak-trees, and the means of prevent- 

 ing or curing defects in timber from various causes therein 

 stated. 



In reply to this inquiry of the commissioners, I did my- 

 self the honour of addressing them two successive lettersf. 



Shortly after the date of these letters the commissioners 

 favoured me with a visit at Kensington, to examine the process 



* See No. 1 , of the Appendix. 



f See No.s 2 and 3, of the Appendix. 



