The practice of pruning receives the increased attention of Dr. Lindley in his new edition of the Theory of Horticulture; some of this, as it illustrates principles, we shall copy. Though, in this country, we are not given to training the pear against walls, the author thinks the horizontal mode answers well for this fruit. " When the young tree is planted, head down the shoot to a foot or four courses of bricks above the level of the ground. Train a shoot upright, and one right, another left, at an angle of 45°; if these prove unequal, in point of vigor, depress the strong, and elevate the weak. Lower them both, about the middle of September, to the horizontal line represented by the joint between the fourth and fifth course of bricks. Their origin on the stem was somewhat below this- line, and therefore they must ascend a little to reach it. This, as regards the lower branches, is an advantage; for the sap flows more freely into limbs thus diverging than it does when constrained to proceed from the stem directly at right angles.

The lower branches being apt to become the weakest, may be afforded this advantage, whilst, towards the top of the wall, the branches may be made to proceed horizontally immediately from the stem.

"The tree having now a central upright shoot, and two horizontal side shoots, shorten the latter at the winter pruning according to their strength; if weak, nearly to their bases; the upright one to the fourth course of bricks above that to which the first shoot was cut. Train the shoot from the uppermost bud, in a perpendicular direction, and one on each side as before. Proceed thus to obtain an upright and two horizontal branches, every year, till the tree reach the top of the wall. When the horizontal branches are sufficiently strong, they may be trained along the courses of bricks without shortening. "If properly managed in summer, fruit spurs will begin to form along these branches. The accompanying cut represents a spur in which a is progressing to form a blossom-bud, whilst b b are already blossom-buds, known by their plumpness; and from this period of the season such buds exhibit signs of active vegetation; bat in a the surrounding scales remain undisturbed till late in spring. The scar at c is where a portion of spur that has borne fruit has been cut back; and, at the winter pruning, after b b, have produced fruit, they must likewise be cut back to others likely to form at their bases as they did at the base of c".

The pruning of the pear-tree trained against an espalier differs in nothing from that which it requires when trained against a wall, except that the spurs of espalier trees need not be so much shortened. Next month we shall give Dr. Lindley's mode of pruning the peaeh.

Spur of the Pear-Tree.