Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1891-08-06
SCIENCE AND FUN.
Experiments with Electricity by
California Experts.
They Use the Current to Encourage the
Maturity OF Fruit and Meet
with Uniooked-for
Results.

The San Francisco Call recently
chronicled the interesting experiments
of Maj. Frank Mclaughlin, of oroville.
in applying electricity to fruit trees to
force the rapid maturity of fruit. The
reports have made 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 scientist, but
is somewhat nearsighted and wears
long-range eyeglasses. He came to
Nevada City Friday and induced two
other gentlemen to join him, one of
them merchant and the other bank
er, and they started for Oroville, driv-
ing a good team. At Smartsville they
took in mining expert to make the
load balance evenly, and after a rest of
q couple Of hours in this city drove on
and arrived at 0roville little after
dark.
When the matter OF the application OF
electricity to fruit trees was mentioned
they were assured that the effect of tho
application could be much better seen
and understood at night when quite
dark-in fact, one citizen said that if it
was real dark, such as is produced by
fog, the electricity could be made to
sparkle at the extreme ends OF the
limbs OF course, the citizens of Oroville
are of a progressive and entertaining
nature, and when prominent strangers
visit them they naturally show them the
sights, and while waiting for.the moon
to retire one Saturday evening the vis-
itors became joyial and quite happy. In
the meantime some of the active spirits
of the town fixed up little Job, which,
in the outcome, worked little
too well. They picked out the residence
of late lawmalier, who has u fine lot
Of growing fruit trees, as a place to
show the effect of electricity on the
growing fruit. Some wire was attached
to the trees and several Chinese bombs
We're planted near the first experiment
tree. Each one had 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 slumbering,
the party of scientists started from the
Union hotel and were soon at the expert
ment grounds, and. after considerable
explanation as to how the shock should
affect tha fruit, and THAT Mai Nc.
sLaosliia. il.la saAps-ss cr.s :, e ijcrfe,,'' =
c,petent on the invention, the worl,
commenced The mining man from
Nevada county, who is something Of O
story-teller, had just finished telling
of the royal time had at the last meet
ing of the Woodpecller club, when one
Of the 0rovillc scientists touched the
warm end of lighted cigar to the fuse
which was Just back OF the story-teller.
They were directed to look up into the
tree and observe the effect, which they
did just as the first bomb exploded, and
it was followed in quick succession by
four more. by the time the second ex-
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, as 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
smootled over and hushcd up, and the
scientists hitched 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
r,atiapo1 hnt,1x