OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 215 



others had been left to nature : The uniform result of these 

 experiments appeared, that those stems to which the composi- 

 tion had been applied had shot up into healthy vigourous treesj 

 in far less time than we should have conceived possible : While 

 those, left to unassisted nature, had only produced irregular, 

 unhealthy shoots, and were apparently in a state of decay. 

 Several experiments had also been made on decayed and hol- 

 low stumps (where little or nothing but bark remained) of 

 elms of very considerable size and age : From these stumps, 

 by the application of the composition, healthy trees have issued, 

 which have, in the space of five, six, seven, or eight years, at- 

 tained to a size and height which it appears to us that trees 

 sown or planted seldom attain to in thrice the time. With a 

 view to ascertain, as far as was in my power, the quality of 

 that wood which by the application of the composition had 

 been formed in the decayed and injured parts of trees, we cut 

 pieces of it out, and compared them with other pieces cut out 

 of the original wood of the same trees, and, after as accurate a 

 secreting and comparison as we were enabled to make, we could 

 not discover any difference either in the colour or texture. 



Upon our observing to Mr. Forsyth, that we had not yet 

 seen any specimens of the operations of his composition upon 

 oak-trees, he informed us, that having at first confined his ex- 

 periments to other trees, which were in a state of greater de- 

 cay, he had none of the same date (viz. from two to eight years) 

 to shew us, but that we might see many specimens, of near two 

 years standing, equal in their progress to the rest : According- 

 ly, we examined various experiments upon oaks ; of which the 

 progressive state was so perfectly similar to that of the other 

 species of trees, that we should not be justified in any (ioubt 

 upon that head ; the event, also, of comparing the new wood 

 with the old was the same. 



To report at large our observations upon the effects of the 

 composition applied to the different fruit-trees, would be litde 

 more than a repetition of what we have already said ; the time 

 of the year would only allow us to remark the rapid growth of 

 the branches and shoots wherever the composition had been 

 applied to the most decayed and injured stems. 



We deem it' unnecessary to enter into any detail of the 

 collateral information and documents which confirmed the im- 

 pressions resulting from our personal observations, persuaded 

 that your lordships will believe we omitted no means in our 

 power to form our judgments. 



We will therefore only add, that, from all we saw and 

 heard, we have reason to believe, and consequently do not hesi- 



