QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
185 
suggests, that eminences in the nature of mountains are actually laid 
bare, and project above the luminous ocean, appearing black above it, 
while their shoaling declivities produce the penumbra, where the 
luminous fluid is less deep. A fatal objection to this theory is, the 
perfectly uniform shade of the penumbra and its sharp termination, 
both inwards, where it joins the spot, and outwards, where it borders 
on the bright surface. A more probable view has been taken by Sir 
William Herschell, who considers the luminous strata of the atmos¬ 
phere to be sustained far above the level of the solid body, by a 
transparent elastic medium, carrying on its upper surface, or rather 
to avoid the former objection, at some considerable lower level within 
its depth, a cloudy stratum, which being strongly illuminated from 
above, reflects a considerable portion of light to our eyes, and forms 
a penumbra, while the solid body, shaded by the clouds reflects none. 
The temporal removal of both the strata, but more of the upper than 
the lower, he supposes to be effected by powerful upward currents of 
the atmosphere, arising, perhaps, from spiracles in the body, or from 
local agitations .—Lardners Cyclopcedia. 
PART II. 
MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 
ARTICLE XX.—QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
On Pruning Peach and Nectarine Trees.— Observing a few 
° \ m 
days since, February 8th, that the buds of my Peach and Nectarine 
Trees on a south west wall, were swelled almost to expansion, and 
the trees remained unpruned,* I enquired of my gardener as to the 
propriety of so leaving them. I was answered that he would rather 
prune them when in full bloom than at this time of the year. The 
Morelia cherries were in a similar condition. Now, Sir, although a 
tyro, it occurred to me that either the tree or fruit must be injured 
by its nutritive qualities being absorbed in branches about to be to¬ 
tally severed, or otherwise receive benefit from the absorbtion of its 
superabundant fluid ; and it is upon this point I am anxious to be 
corrected, as also the most proper time for pruning generally, and 
the summer foreshortening. My gooseberry trees, although of less 
importance, are treated in like manner, but the reason here stated is 
that the birds are apt to destroy the buds in the winter, and that by 
