St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-03-30

not the famous cavalry leader during
the war, as has been quite generally
supposed, but his elder brother. The
cavalry leader is Gen. Alfred PleasOn-
ton, while the discoverer of the blue
light theory is Gen. Augustus j. Pleas
OntOn. He is graduate of West Point
was in the regular army for some time,
from which he resigned; during the
war he was a Brigadier-G General OF
Pennsylvania militia, and was selected
TO organize a body of 10000 men with
in the State for use in emergencies. He
is lawyer of prominence in Philadel-
phia, a gentleman of culture, wealth,
and refinement. Owning farm out
side of the city, he, in 1860, commenced
to experiment upon his theory regard
ing the different colors in the suns rays,
and their effects upon vegetable and
animal life. Experiments made in Eu-
rope had already demonstrated that the
blue rays of the suns light had greater
chemical powers than any of the others,
developed a greater amount of heat,
and were especially stimulating to veg
citation. But these experiments had
been barren of practical results, and
Gen. Pleasonton was left to his own
resources to carry out his ideas. He
built a large grapery, covered with
glass, every eighth row of which was
blue. By this arrangement, the sun.
in making its rounds,
CAST A BLUE RAY OF LIGHT
Upon every plant and leaf within the
grapery. In April, 1861, he set out
twenty varieties of grape-vines in his
grapery, all of the cuttings being one
year old, the size of a pipe stem, and
cut close to the ground. The vines sOor
began TO show most vigorous growth
and in few weeks the grapery was
filled with vines and foliage. By Sep.
tember-OT five months after setting
the seedman who had furnished the
cuttings made measurements, and founC
that the vines had grown forty five fee
in length, and were an inch in diameter
Il foot above the ground. These vine:
attracted great attention in the neigh
bOrhoOd, but it was predicted that, Ow
ing to this unusual growth, they woulC
not bear fruit. Next year, however, th'
vines displayed the same vigorous
growth, and, i'll addition, bore owe
l 200 pounds of luscious grapes of un
usual size. This was more astonishin,
to horticulturists than the growth o
the vines, but from that day to this tn,
vines have kept up the same vigOrOu
growth, being entirely free from diseas
and destructive insects, and beariE;
with preportionate prolificness. How
remarkable this result is will be appre
ciated when it is known that, in grape
growing countries, the vines do not bea
fruit until the fifth or sixth year. Hav
inng been so successful in his first eX
pertinent with vegetable life, Genera
PleasontOn next tried the effect of
BLUE LIGHT UPON. ANIMALS.
His first experiment was with lite
of pigs, which he placed in pen whic
was lighted by blue and plain glass
inserted i'll the rOOf in equal proper
tions. This litter gained wonderful
in weight, size and strength, and ut th
end of Il few months, were found t
weigh very much more than Il simila
litter raised in the usual way. He mex
experimental with an Alderney bull
calf, which was so puny and weak at ii
birth that the manager of the farm sal
it could not live. 1t was put under blu
glass, and in twenty-fOur hours it wa
able to stand up, and was taught t
drink milk; in four months it was
perfectly developed bull, strong an
vigorous, and was turned in with tn
herd of cows, and has since fuIfille
every expectation regarding him. Sui
sequently, other experiments gave hil
confidence, and now all his cattle al
raised under blue glass, showing grea
vigOr and the most surprising precOcitN
A heifer becomes a mother when |
months old and the cows and thei
progeny are healthy and strong, and th
former are great mixers. 1t is general
! ly held that heifers should not bea
young before they are four years ole
but, under the influence of blue glas.
they do so, without injury, when |
months old, thus saving the expense
keeping them through two and aha
years. The beneficial effect of the as
sociated pain and blue rays of sun
light upon vegetable and animal lii
having been demonstrated, to the wOI
der and amazement of all who had oil
served the experiments, their effect WI
tried upon
VARIOUS SICK PERSONS.
The most astonishing results hav
been obtained, which are certified to
such manneras to leave no doubt regarC
ing them. Commodore Goldsborougl
who had read something regarding Gel
Pleasonton's discovery, relates the cas-
of lady who prematurely gave birt
to a child, which was weak and pun,
weighing but three and a-half pOunC
! at birth. There were blue curtains
!, the windows of the room in which I'll
child was reared, and these were IA
ranged so that the light, entering I'll
loom, came about equally through IL
, blue curtains and the plain glass of IL
windows. The child began to thriv
developed tremendous appetite, viii
the lacteal system of the mother w;
greatly excited, and her supply of mil
greatly increased. The child grew RAJ
idly in health, strength and size, an,
8 at the end of four months, weighe
twenty-five pounds. Commodore Gold
, borough experimental with two broO,
/ of chickens, placing one under blI
I glass, and the other in an Ordinal
$ coop. The former soon showed I'll
stimulating effects of the blue glas
their growth being almost visible fro
day to day, and their strength, size al
vigor far exceeding that of the chicken
S in the ordinary coop. This is testimor
from a gentleman of high standing, WI