Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-08-01
SCIENCE AND FUN.
Experiments with Electricity by
California Experts.
They Use tho Current to Encourage the
Maturity OF Fruit and Meet
with Unlonked-for
Results.

The San Francisco Call recently
chronicled the interesting experiments
of Maj. Frank Mclaughlin, of Orovillc,
in applying electricity to fruit trees TO
forco tho rapid maturity of fruit. The
reports have made . profound impress
zion in agricultural circles. Among
those most impressed, says the Marys-
willie Democrat, was prominent nine
owner and spcculator, residing above
Nevada City, Nevada county, who
pridcs himself on being scientist, but
is somewhat ncarGightcd and wears
long-rangc eyeglasses. He came to
Nevada City Friday and induced two
other gentlemen to join him, one of
them Il merchant and the other bank
or, and they started for Orovillc, driv-
ing Il good team. At Smartsvillc they
took in q mining expert to make the
load balance evenly, and after 4 rest of
couple of hours in this city drove on
and arrived ut Orovillc 4 little after
dark.
When tho matter of the application OF
electricity to fruit trees was mentioned
they were assured that the effect of the
application could be much better seen
and understood ut night when quito
darli-in fact, one citizen said that if it
was real dark, such Us Is produced by
fog, tho electricity could b. mldc to
sparkle at the extreme ends of the
limbs. Of course, the citizens of Orovillc
arc of progressive and entertaining
nature, and when prominent strangers
visit them they naturally show them the
sights, and while waiting for the moon
-, ca l.
itors became jovial and quite happy. In
the meantime some of the active spirits
of the town fixed up 4 little job, which,
in tho outcome, worked n little
too well. They picked out the residence
of n late lawmallcr, who has IL fine lot
of growing fruit trees, as place to
show tho effect of electricity Oh the
growing fruit. Some wire was attached
to the trees and several Chinese bombs
wcrc planted near the first experiment
tree. Zach one had fuse SO arranged
that when fro 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 at the expert
Iacnt grounds, and after considerable
explanation as to how the shock should
AFFECT the fruit, and that Mai. Nc
Laughlin had now gone cast to perfect
patent on the invention, the work
commenced. The IN ming man from
Nevada county, who is something of q
story-tellcr, had just finished telling
of tho royal time had at the last meet
ing of the WoodpcclIcr club, when one
of tho Orovillc scientists touched the
warm end of u lighted cigar to the fuse
which was just back of the story-tcllcr.
They were directed to look up into the
tree and observe tho effect, which they
did just as tho nr8J Domu exploded, and
it was followed III quick succession by
four moro. By tho time tho 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, Us may
be readily understood. The noise was
toriiGc, md 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 wal;
Rmoothcd over md hushcd up, and the
scientists hitchcd up their team and
drove to Marysvillc. Each ono of them
was broke and had to draw money
whilc here, obtaining it from tho First
national bank.
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