Mr. Knight's Observations ,• &c. 291 
I suspected that.the appearance of decay in the trees I had 
seen lately grafted, arose from the diseased state of the grafts, 
and concluded, that if I took scions or buds from trees grafted 
in the year preceding, I should succeed in propagating any 
kind I chose. With this view I inserted some cuttings of 
the best wood I could find in the old trees, on young stocks 
raised from seed. I again inserted grafts and buds taken from 
these on other young stocks, and wishing to get rid of all con- 
nection with the old trees,. I repeated this six years ; each year 
taking the young shoots from the trees last grafted. Stocks of 
different kinds were tried, some were double grafted, others 
obtained from apple-trees which grew from cuttings, and 
others from the seed of each kind of fruit afterwards inserted 
on them ; I was surprised to find that many of these stocks in- 
herited all the diseases of the parent trees. 
The wood appearing perfect and healthy in many of my 
last grafted trees, I flattered myself that I had succeeded ; but 
my old enemies, the moss and canker, in three years convinced 
me of my mistake. Some of them, however, trained to a 
south wall, escaped all their diseases, and seemed (like inva- 
lids) to enjoy the benefit of a better climate. I had before fre- 
quently observed, that all the old Fruits suffered least in warm 
situations, where the soil was not unfavourable. I tried the 
effects of laying one kind, but the canker destroyed it at the 
ground. Indeed I had no hopes of success from this method, 
as I had observed that several sorts which had always been 
propagated from cuttings, were as much diseased as any 
others. The wood of all the old fruits has long appeared to 
me to possess less elasticity and hardness, and to feel more soft 
and spongy under the knife, than that of the new varieties 
