OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 



301 



Of oak-trees alfo, which had received very confiderable 

 damage from various accidents, as blows, bruifes, and cutting 

 of deep letters, the rubbing off of the bark by the ends of rol- 

 lers, or wheels of carts, and mutilated branches, a perfect 

 cure has been made and found timber produced. The acidity, 

 or corrofive quality, of the juice of oak-trees, when obftructed 

 in their circulation from any of the caufes already mentioned, 

 and fermenting with the wet and moifture imbibed by the 

 wounds from the atmofphere, will bring on difeafe, and pro- 

 mote decay : for, notwithstanding the hard texture of the 

 oak, when once the principles of decay begin to operate, the 

 acrimonious juices feed the difeafe, and accelerate its progrefs, 

 as much, perhaps, as in trees of a fofter quality and texture ; 

 but when the difeafed or injured part is entirely cut away to 

 the freih found wood, and the Compofition properly laid on, 

 as perfect a cure has been made as I have already related in 

 the recovery of elm trees. Indeed, when I reflect that the 

 oak has been the boaft of our early aneeftors, and the means, 

 under the blefling of God, of affording protection and fafety, 

 as well as accumulating honour and wealth, to the nation, 

 what language can fufflciently deplore that want of public 

 fpirit, and that flrange inattention to the prefervation and 

 increafe of this ftaple tree, which fuffers fuch numbers of 

 {lately oaks to go to decay ; in which difgraceful ftate they 

 remain to upbraid their poffefTors, as foes to the commerce 

 and naval glory of the kingdom ! 



Various experiments have alfo been made on other foreft- 

 trees, as am, limes, chefnuts, and fycamores, that had re- 

 ceived the fever al injuries to which they, are expofed ; as well 

 as many of the refmous kinds, fuch as the cedar of Lebanon, 

 and others of the pine tribe ; in all of which I have expe- 

 rienced 



