OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 209 



In answer to the second question, 1 beg to say, that oak- 

 trees are equally liable to decay and detriment, 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 de- 

 triment may be effectually prevented V' 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 composition, 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 demonstrated 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 con- 

 vinced all those who viewed them of the practicability of pro- 

 ducing the finest, cleanest, and most prolific branches from 

 stumps in a state of decay : And with confidence I can assert, 

 that I have succeeded so well with his Majesty's fruit-trees, 

 that by cutting out the diseased and dead wood, the trees have 

 produced more and finer fruit in two and three years, than a 

 tree newly planted will in thirteen or fourteen years ; and this 

 advantageous circumstance is equally visible in the experi- 

 ments I have made on elms, where nothing remained but 

 the bark. The oak, from experience, I find equally as cura- 

 ble as any other tree ; the bark may be restored, and the 

 trees rendered as fit for the navy, as though they never had 

 been injured. 



In answer to the third question, I say, that I am able to 

 " suggest a complete remedy for the defects ;" and that reme- 

 dy I suppose to be known only to myself, as it is not a secret 

 drawn from books, or learned from men, but the effect of close 

 application, and repeated experiments. As to undertaking 

 the application of the remedy, I must request you will have 

 the goodness to permit me to say, that as a servant of his Ma- 

 jesty I do not think myself at liberty to form any engagement 

 that must inevitably call me for a time from his Majesty's ser- 

 vice in his royal gardens at Kensington ; but should his Ma- 

 jesty be graciously pleased to think my services would be pro- 

 ductive of a national good, and will condescend to permit me 

 to be absent, I shall with the greatest pleasure and alacrity 

 engage in the undertaking. 



