The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-26
SCIENCE AND FUN.
Experiments with ELECTRICITY bv
California Experts.
They Use the Current to Encourage tho
Maturity of Fruit and Meet
with Cnlookcd-for
Results.

The San Francisco Call recently
chroniclcd the interesting experiments
OK Mag. Frank Mclaughlin, of Orovillc,
IN applying electricity to fruit trees to
1crce the rapid maturity of fruit. The
reports have madc Il profound impress
SION IN agricultural circles. Among
those most impressed, says the Marys-
vile Democrat, was prominent mine
owner and speculator, residing above
Nevada City, Nevada county, who
prides himself on being n scientist, but
IS somewhat ncarsightcd and wears
Iong-range eyeglasses. He came to
Nevada City Friday and induced two
other gentlemen to join him, one of
them merchant and the other n bank
or, and they started for Oroville, driv-
ing good team. AT Smartsvillo they
took in mining expert to make the
load balance evenly, and after n rest of
u couple of hours in this city drove on
and arrived at Orovillc n little after
dark
When the matter of the application Of
electricity to fruit trees was mentioned
they were assured that the effect of the
application could be much bottcr seen
and understood at night when quite
80 1917 OhS ClClZCu SdlQ Un1U IL IL
was real dark, such MS is produced by
log, the electricity could DO made to
sparkle at the extreme ends of the
limbs. Of course, the citizens of Orovillc
are of n progressive and entertaining
nature, and when prominent strangers
visit them they naturally show them tho
sights, and while waiting for the moon
to retire one Saturday evening the Wis
itors became jovial and quite happy. In
the meantime some of the active spirits
of the town fixed up little job, which,
III the outcome, worked little
too we'll. They picked out the residence
of Il late lawmaller, who has fine lot
or growing fruit trees, as Il place to
show the effect of electricity on the
growing fruit. Some wire was attached
to the trees and several Chinese bombs
were planted near the first experiment
tree. Each one had Il fuse so arranged
that when fire was applied they would
explode one after the other Shortly
after midnight, when the good people
were in bed and quietly slumbcring,
the party of scientists started from the
Union hotel and were soon ut the expert
mcnt grounds, and, after considerable
explanation as to how the shock should
affect the fruit and that Mai. Nc
Laughi!n had now gone cast to perfect
patent on the invention, the work
commenced The mining man from
Nevada county who is something of n
story-tcller, had just finished telling
OF the royal time had at the last meet
ing of the Woodpecller club, when one
of the Orovillc scientists touched the
warm end of q lighted cigar to the fuse
which was just back of the story-tcllcr
They were directed to look up into the
tree and observe the effect, which they
did just rs the first bomb exploded, and
it was followed in quick succession by
fonr more. BY the time the second cx-
plosion took place the owner of the
property came out with gun and of
course, the scientists left the scene, and
they didn't retire in good order, rs may
be readily understood The noise was
terrific, and the people rushed in the
direction of the explosion. The officers
saw two men running down the street
away from the noise, and they were
placed under arrest and it proved to
be the banker and merchant from
Nevada City. OF course the matter was
snoothed over and hushcd up, and the
scientists hitchcd up their team and
drove to Marysville. Each one OF them
was broke and had to draw money
While here, obtaining it from the First
national bank.