The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-30
AGRIcULTvRE III srEAM.
some Novel Experiments In Forcing the
Growth Of Vegetables.

A New Jersey agriculturist IL secretly
experimenting upon tho growth Of vegetables
Wy means ~ steam pipes under ground. anu has
produced potnto plants fifteen inches high IN
fortnight. The potatoes are, however. small IN
comparison to the plant, aud he proposes re-
newed attempts, with n view Of establishing
proper equilibrium. The use oi steam pipes In
forcing plants has been In practice many years.
Tho novelty lies in the eenilcmans peculiar an
piication Of the system. lie intends, ilsO, soon
to try the effect OF electricity.
The Inst known trials in THIS country upon
made in March, Isil. by MIR. X. L. Pcll,
a wealthy land proprietor on the Hudson
river. near HYDE Pork whose Newtown pppins
have long been noted in the New York market.
His ORCHARDS now comprehend $1,000 apple
trees, all of the above description. He was also
tho frat IN this country to raise ash from the egg.
Prof. Morse gave i'm instructions rega d.
ting the application Of electricity to his
purposes, and he departed for Hyde Park
Mr.. Pell nrst gave attention TO growth I'm
sand, which he placed, TO the depth Of foot,
IN box three feet square. lie planted IN row
potato, some wheat, rye, GA =. and barley kerr
nets, and MADEIRA yiDc and suspended over
them, to tho hoivht Of an inch, q copper wire an
inch THICK. This wire was sOldcred at one end
to piece Of copper plate about an inch square
and an eighth of an inch thick and at the other
TO similarly sized piece Of zinc. These formed
the positive and NEGATIVE batteries, but neither
quito touched the soil. Tho weather being cold
the box was placed in covered hot-bed. and
the batteries were constantly stimulated by an
electric machine. The sand under the wire
was IN n highly electrified state and within a
fortnight the plants pushing from the seed
reached height Of fifteen inches.
Another process was 10y placing sand In
pots ssp H one w at Or to Tore oS and gTdl'
plate at the bottom. hole was made
In the former to allow the cRrcss Of the plant,
and one IN the latter to permit the escape Of the
water with which the sand was occasionally
moistened. A wire was carried outside of the
inch from the bottom. where It communicated
with the zinc inside. The object Of not allowing
the wire to extend to the bottom OF the pot was
To prevent Its coming IN contact with the water.
No necessity existed for wire within the pot.
The sand completed the electric circuit. begun
by the wire outside and, without the use Of a
machine, the grain grew with rapidly equal
to that in the box.
Another experiment was without the use OF
electric batteries. A number OF wheat kernels
were placed on a sheet OF window glass. four
teen inches square. thin layer Of straw was
other layers, to the height of three inches. over
these and the glass cords were wound to
keep them In place. The apparatus was set on
the soil Of a covered hot-bed and the straw was
kept constantly moist. decomposition set In
Germinate. In ave DAYS from the covering,
young plants began to show themselves ABOVE
the straw, and In three weeks more, height
| OF fourteen inches was reached. The roots
| spread wide on the glass, and rose into the
straw, and by turning the glass over, their com
| plex windings and interla cings could be seen.
| The seeds found In the straw the hemlcal prop
critics which they themselves contained and re-
quired for development.
In the following June Mr.. PelI placed In
the open air row Of young tomato plants. At
| one end was sheet Of copper an eighth Of an
inch thick, fourteen inches wide. and four feet
| long. 1t was embedded two feet In the ground
in an erect position, leaving two feet In the air
| A zinc plate OF the same size was similarly
treated at the other end. wire was laid
from the top Of one, forty feet TO the top Of the
| other, being raised sufficiently by poles TO en-
| able horses to plough under IL. No wire was
laid under the ground. as the earth completed
the circuit. An abundance Of manure was APP
Piled. ana the plants matured and bore small,
| npe tomatoes, an inch in diameter, in a week.
| These were followed bythrre other weekly crops
| Of the same sized fruit within month. 1t was
! not necessary to limit the width Of the tract TO
| forty feet. The copper and zinc sheets could 0s
well have been placed mile apart. The earth
would equally well have formed u circuit.