i^4i Mr. Knight's Experiments and Observations 
In this position they remained during the succeeding summer ; 
and, in the autumn, had nearly filled the pots, which were ten 
inches in diameter, with their roots. As soon as the leaves had 
fallen, the layers were disengaged from the parent stocks ; and 
about five inches of wood, containing one bud, were left, both at 
the proper and the inverted end of each layer. Every bud was 
also, by previous management, made to stand at an equal distance 
from the mould in the pots, and with an equal elevation, of about 
thirty-six degrees. About one inch of wood was likewise left at 
each end of every layer, beyond the buds. 
In the succeeding spring, the buds vegetated strongly, both 
at the proper and at the inverted ends of the layers, as the 
experiments of Hales and du Hamel had given me reason to 
expect ; and, in one instance, the bud at the inverted end of the 
layer grew with greater vigour than that at its proper end : but 
the growth of these buds was not the object which I had in 
view. 
I have already stated, that nearly an inch of wood was left at 
each end of every layer, beyond the bud ; and, to this wood, at 
the inverted ends of the layers, my attention was chiefly directed : 
for, if the vessels of the bark possessed the powers I attributed 
to them, I concluded that the sap would be impelled to the in- 
verted ends of the layers, and be there employed in the produc- 
tion of new wood, and roots ; and, in this, my expectations were 
not disappointed. At the proper end of the layers, the wood 
immediately beyond the buds became dry and lifeless, early in 
the succeeding summer ; the stems also, between the buds and 
the mould in the pots, increased in size as usual ; and nothing 
peculiar occurred. But, at the inverted end, appearances were 
extremely different: new wood here accumulated rapidly beyond 
