Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-02-21
BLUE GLASS.
Some VaIua BILE Inform a on from Gen.
PleasOntOn's BOOk-.The Effects of
Chemical Rays on Animal and Veg
etable Life.

PIeasonton's BoOk--The Effects of
Chemical Rays on Animal and Veg
etable Life.
Maj. Gen. Pleasonton has just pub
lished in book.form a number of ad-
dresses, momoirs, etc, written and de-
livered by him at various times on the
influence of the blue rays of tho sun
light and the blue color of the sky in
developing animal and vegetable life,
arrestiDg disease and restoring life in
acute and chronic disorders to human
and domestic animals. During the
summer of 1871 says Gen. Pleasouton,
professional gardner in Massachusetts
(near Boston,, who had been trying
tor some time to protect his young
plants from minute insects which fed
upon them, after numerous expert
ments, all of which failed succeeded
with the blue ray He made a small
triangular frame, covered it with blue
gauze, preraredsthe ground and sowed
the seed, covering portion of the
ground with the frame and guaze,
leaving the other part exposed to the
attacks of insects. The plants outside
the frame were all eaten as soon as they
terminated; those under it escaped
entirely.
Gen. Pleasonton's explanation of the
ph enonenon is that the sunlight, mega
lively electrified in passing through
the meshes of the blue gauze, which is
positively electrified, excites an electro
magnetic current sufficiently strong to
destroy the feeble vitality Of the eggs
or of the insect themselves, which are
in the soil with the seed, leaving the
seed to terminate rapidly under its in
fuence.
A lady residing in Philadelphia also
infsrmed the General that, having some
choice plants in pots IN her sitting
room which were dropping, she threw
over them common blue gauze veil,
such as ladies wear, and exposed them
to the might, and in a short time
they were fully restored to health end
vigor.
The General also says on the insect
question that, having introduced blue
glass into the windows Of one of the
servants sIeeping-rooms. it was noticed
that large numbers Of flies which had
previously infested them were soon
found dead on the inside stills Of the
windows.
A gentleman in West Philadelphia
had a large lemon tree. which he
priced highly. He placed it in his
hall near the vestibule door, the side
lights of which we're of glass Of differ
ent colors blue and violet predomina.
ting. The sunlight passing through
these side lights tell upon portion Of
the branches of the lemon-tree, and
great vigor was impaired to the vitali-
ty Of these branches, which were filled
with fine fruit, while other branches
which did not receive the light from
the blue and violet panes were small
and without fruit.
The early vegetables used in the
Generals family are for the most part
started in pots under blue and plain
glass, then transplautad into proper soil,
and are ready for use several weeks in
advance of the market. Thus he has
used corn as early as July IL, which
does not ordinarily mature until Aug.
During the latter part of 1871. Com
modore Goldsborough learned Of Gen.
Pleasonton's experiments and proceed.
ed to initiate them at Mound City, H.,