The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-21
ELECTRICITY ON FARMS.
Its Uses rs an Agent for Producing Power
and Assisting Growth.

sion OF farm machinery and In the propa-
cation Of plants" is a subject United
States Consuls in various countries have
been investigating. Consul Williams at
Rouen tells OF the lighting Of two French
Conservatives by electricity. The gar
denCr thought that the plants and flowers
thus lighted had more lively air than
those lighted by gas or any other agency
except the sun. In consequence OF this
belief the gardener kept electric lights
going all the time. The Consul was told
that this gave extra vigor to the plants
but the cost was greater than the result
obtained Attempts have been made in
France TO pass electric currents through
buckets where seed were washed pre-
paratory to sowing. The purpose Is to
destroy microbes which are invisible.
1t is claimed that the terminating power
is increased by this treatment.
In Essex, England. there Is a dairy ope-
rated by electricity. II was opened a
few months ago by Mr.. James Blythe
who has on his estate a herd Of 200 but
reproducing Jerseys. The dairy proper
occupies the semi basement of the build
ing There are two roms lined from top
to bottom with marble. The floor is mar
BILE and the roof is panelled with mar
bic. The building is lighted with cleo
tricity and electric motors run the
churns. The butter is stamped with the
name Of the dairy and the date on which
It is made. This kind of butter brings
81 a pound.
The Consul at frankfort. Germany.
says there is a project under consider
alton TO erect a plant at waterfall I'm
the vicinity of Lake Constance 10 gener-
ate electricity for distribution to neigh
boring farms. The intention is TO use it
for thrashing, pumping, saving wood,
and other forms OF agricultural work.
THE general feeling" the Consul says,
among practical electricians here is
that the uses OF electricity are already
sufficiently varied. and that the economi-
cal success Of such applications will only
be compromised by attempts 10 apply
IL 10 other purposes wherein its utility
would be at least experimental"
Consul Palmer, at Dresden, tells OF an
attempt made a short time since to use
electricity for the propagation Of roses.
II was abandoned as too expensive.
Some extensive experiments have been
conducted I'm Germany, and Commercial
Agent Washburn, al Magdeburg, tells
about them. The effects of plate cur
rents OF batteries and OF electric light
have been tried on plant life. The re-
suits were not very encouraging In
practical way Some remarkable effects
were seen in isolated experiments,
but when anything was attempted on
large scale IL did not pay.
A beet sugar field was selected. Copper
and zinc plates were sunk in the rows
and connected with wires. There was
an electric current passing all summer
The same thing was tried with potatoes
Resides the plates a battery current was
applied. The rows Of beets TO which
the battery current was applied did not
do any better than the rows which had
no artificial electricity. But the rows
where the zinc and copper plates had
been sunk and connected began 70 show
a healthier and fresher appearance in
about ten days. This continued as long
as the beet tops were growing. The crop
where the battery current was applied
was no better than the general crop
The rows where the zinc and copper
plates were sunk gave ID per cent. in
crease in beets and "A per cent. increase
IN potatoes. There was no difference In
the quality, however.
Another scientist tried the effect OF
electricity on the terminating period
He found there was a difference OF from
six TO eight days in favor Of the seeds
where electricity was applied. Further
more, the plants had a quicker and
healthier growth. He concluded that the
electricity had a favorable effect in de-
composing the salts and other compo-
nent parts of the SOIL But another scien-
fist, who tried the seeds Of radishes,
barley, wheat. mustard. and sunflowers
In boxes, found that those 10 which cleo
trio currents were applied grew later ana
feebler.
French chemist got up an iron cage
which robbed the plants Of the natural
electricity I'm the air and soil. These
plants were very backward as compared
with those which were allowed the bene-
Mt Of the natural forces.
A series Of experiments by Siemens on
the effects OF electric light were more
marked. One electric light was put out
side Of a glass house and was allowed
10 dffuse it's rays upon the plants
through a transparent shade. Inc other
was put inside a glass house and was
given a reflector which threw the rays
directly on the plants. The experiments
were kept up from October 10 May.
Every evening except Sunday, the cleo
trio light was turned on and kept going
until daylight Vegetables and hoWers
were planted and observations taken
1t was soon discovered that the influence
OF the outside light was beneficial, while
the plants under the rays OF the naked
light showed a wilted appearance.
Suspecting that the combustible pro-
ducts OF the light might exercise a
dwarfnS influence, the experimenter
TO remove the difficulty. BY the
help Of an engine, which also pumped In
currents Of fresh air. clouds OF steam
were introduced into the dollhouse be-
tween the plants and light. This device
proved TO be a step in the right direction.
though IL became eventually necessary
10 provide the lamp with "A shade. This
last served al once n double purpose, viz.
II diverted the combustible products and
supplled a shade between the plants and
light. II was most instructive 10 watch
the workings Of the last mentioned con-
triyance If the shade was so placed as
10 protect only part Of the plants the
line OF demarcation showed itself very
plainly on the leaves-even after
single night. Those plants at distance
of from nine to ten feet from the naked
light were distinctly wilted while those
under the shade OF a thin glass pre-
OF difference could even be detected
on single leaves. Young stalks showed
che Injurious effect OF naked light at a
distance OF twenty feet.
Here was clearly a question OF the
OF certain kinds OF rays
through glass. AS electric light is rich
In invisible, frangible rays which are
capable OF being mostly absorbed through
shaded glass. Siemens concluded that
these rays were especially destructive
70 the cells To ascertain this more ac-
curately an experiment was undertaken.
The soil OF a dollhouse was sown with
nlants OF quick growth and In parcels
nj equal distance from the light The
first parcel was exposed 10 the naked
light. the second was covered with thin
class. the third with yellow glass. the
fourth and NTH with red ana blue. res
psotively. The growth was carefully Oh"