318 Fertility induced hy Spur-'pruning. 



ing of the second year (supposed to be 1830), our author 

 says, "the buds upon that part of each branch which was pro- 

 duced last year will be formed either into fruitful ones, or 

 push into shoots. If shoots, they will require to be cut down 

 to two inches in length, when they have attained a little 

 woodiness, &c. &c. The shortening of such shoots will 

 generally cause them to form a fruitful bud, or more, near to 

 their origin." (No. 229.) " Let us, " I continue, " examine 

 the philosophy of the facts thus plainly stated. By curtailing 

 the shoots, the regular course of the ascending currents is 

 interrupted, and the direction changed. The few leaves which 

 remain upon the lower part of each shortened shoot now 

 become the sole intermedia through which the maturing 

 influences of light and air are exerted. The buds situated 

 at their basis are excited, and swell, and (now comes the 

 passage referred to by Mr. Main) the electrical currents 

 setting in, to and through the pointed terminations of those 

 buds, and of their leafy appendages, stimulate the former, and 

 bring them into a fruit-bearing condition. The interruption 

 of the principle of growth, by whatever means effected, is 

 always productive of fertility ; hence, though we may not be 

 able to trace the operation of causes in all its minutiae, we may 

 I think, safely ascribe the effect thus produced to the energy 

 of the great natural agents, exerted laterally through a greatly 

 diminished number of the vegetable vital organs." 



Mr. Main compliments me upon what he is pleased to 

 designate "the excellent distinction between the principle of 

 growth and that of fructification ;" but still he considers that 

 I have been " rather obscure" in my endeavours " to account 

 for the barrenness of a free-growing tree, and the fruitfulness 

 of a stinted one," and, moreover, that 1 have aimed at 

 "ascribing to electricity the power of forming the members, 

 instead of considering it as an exciter, only, of vegetable life." 



It is fortunate for me that I am enabled to refer the reader, 

 at once, to my electrical hypothesis ; for it occupies a con- 

 spicuous place in your last published Number, (p. 179.) He 

 therein will perceive that I consider the electricity of nature 

 to be derived solely from the sun ; and that, in fact, the solar 

 liffht itself is the electrising medium. I shall not dwell now 

 upon particulars ; nor shall I adduce facts in order to de- 

 monstrate the wonderful influence of the solar ray upon the 

 foliage of plants; these must be reserved for a future com- 

 munication : but I think it cannot fail to strike any attentive 

 reader or comparer of the above obscure passage, with my 

 article on electricity, that I could not for one moment intend 

 to convey an idea of the creative power of the ethereal solar 



