when raised from Seed. 137 
and more hardy varieties, have been deterred from the attempt by 
the great length of time requisite for ascertaining the result of 
their industry; for the apple-tree, when raised in the common 
way from the kernel, rarely affords its first blossom before it is 
eight or ten years old and the pear-tree requires even a }iger 
period, twelve or fifteen summers often elapsing before the leaves 
of seedling-trees are capable of forming their first blossom-buds. 
In November and December, 1809, I sowed the kernels of seve- 
ral ripe pears, in separate pots, and ‘placed them in a green-house 
during the winter. They began to vegetate in the following 
month of February, and in March the pots were removed into 
my grapery, where they remained till after Midsummer. The 
plants were then carefully removed into a seed-bed, and planted 
in rows, about fourteen ‘inches apart, where they wetted’ till 
the autumn of 1811, when they were again transplanted into a 
- uursery, at distances Of six feet. Every succeeding winter I pruned 
away all small trifling lateral shoots, leaving the stronger laterals 
at their full length to the bottom of the plants, and made such 
a general disposition of the branches, as that the leaves of the 
upper shoots might not shade those situated underneath; every 
leaf, therefore, was thus rendered an efficient organ, by its full 
exposure to the light. At the height of about six feet, 1 had the 
satisfaction to observe, that the branches ceased to pr oduce thorns, 
and the leaves began to assume a more cultivated character. Se- 
veral of these trees afforded blossoms and fruit last year. One 
seedling Siberian variety of the apple, thus treated, yielded fruit 
at four years old, and many more at the age of five and six years. 
XXXII. Contribution to the History of Electricity. By A 
CoRRESPONDENT. 
To Dr. Tilloch. 
Sin,—1 was much pleased to meet the other day, in an old 
Scotch Magazine, with the following interesting and instructive 
account of some discoveries in electricity, communicated to the 
celebrated Professor Maclaurin by a frieud in Germany, at a time 
when that science was almost unknown. The circumstances are 
new to me; and should they be equally so to you, you will pro- 
bably give them a place iu your valuable Magazine. 
Edinburgh. Aug. 3. 1821. Yours, C. 
When Mr. Maclaurin was professor of natural philosophy at 
Edinburgh, be taught in private to a select number of bis stu- 
dents the hi gher parts of philosophy, which he could not under- 
Vol. 58. No, 280, dug. 1821, s take 
