The morning call., 1891-11-02
ELEoTKICI1Y ON the FARM.

Interesting experiments are being made
at the Massachusetts Agricultural College
with view 10 ascertain the effect OF eiee-
tricity on vegetation. The subject is not
new. 1t has been studied to some extent in
France and Russia, and some observations
have been made at Cornell University,
showing the results OF the application OF
electricity TO the seeds Of plants and TO the
soil in which they are set. Nothing defin-
lie has yet been discovered, but some of the
experiments appear to promise well for the
future, when the dynamic effects of electric
ity are better understood.
A market gardener at Arlington, Mass,
observed that the erection of an electric
light near his garden was followed by a
rapid growth of certain Towering plants
which received the lays Of the light. He
set up similar lights in his dollhouse, and re-
ported that his lettuce grew faster and
larger than ever 'before-the difference be-
ing equal to % per cent. a gardener in
Southern Russia tried electric lights on rad
ishes, and produced roots which were sew
enteen inches long and five and a half
inches thick. a farmer in Northern Russia
found that the application Of electricity
through a network of wires doubled tie
yield OF wheat on the patch treated. At
Cornell University the results have varied.
A forcing house was divided by board par
tttion. and electric lights were applied to
one half, while the other half received its
light only from the. sun. The crop in
the former was twice as large as in the
latter Under the electric light lettuce,
spinach and such plants grew more rapidly.
but ran prematurely to seed. Its effect on
flowers was singular. For time the color
of Hnu haiu Int in
while they faded, the scarlets, reds, blues
and pinks turned to q grayish white, and
the flowers were short-lived. Proximity
TO an electric light proved fatal even to such
hardy plants as the rsdish., Within six feet
Of the light it seems that no plant will grow.
These experiments must be regarded as
encouraging. They prove that the electric
light does exercise an influence on vegeta-
tion- The problem which remains to be
solved is how 20 make the influence bene-
fetal and not injurious. That cannot be
accomplished till we Know more about cleo
trieity than we do
Some of tile most alert minds of the day
are endeayoring to find out the operation Of
electricity The human frame Many
physicians use it as. remedial agent in Ger
tain cases, but they cannot explain why
they dose nor why they expect it to cure
What they say is that, in the cases of Mrs
a. and Mr. B., its exhibition was followed
by cure, and therefore they think it worth
while to try it in the cases of Mrs. C. and
Mr.. ID. But they cannot. give any reason
why the application of an electrical stream
/ to the human body should produce any
more results than if it vas applied to the
handle of the great front door. All rene
| dial agents have passed through the same
stage; indeed, as to most Of the drugs of the
allopathic pharmacopeia it would puzzle
practitioners toexplain why. they: act. Per-
haps twill be time enough to- grid at the
doctors for not knowing the: workings of
electricity when they have solved Molere's
riddle-why opium puts people to sleep
| Electricity is an agency in which there is
spething occult or uncanny. Itcan be made
"fike a loaf of broad, by the combination of
| certain well known substances IN certain
| proportions and under certain conditions:
| When il Is made it can be put to variety Of
| uses. !. 1t can transmit thought with the
|: velocity of lightning. 1t can haul cars. 1t
| can destroy life. II is used in all KINDS of
| Industrial operations, from gliding spoon
| to converting iron into steel. That such an
| agency, susceptible Of such a vast. range of
| uses, should possess possibilities of inf1uen-
tial action upon life, animal and vegetable,
Is so probable chat it may be regarded as al
most certain. Ii may take time to discover
| these possibilities, but those whO chafs ut
the delay and wonder why disease is not all
| ready cured, and vegetable life not stimu-
| lated, by this powerful agent, are very un-
7 reasonable indeed