New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-08
ELECTRICITY'S NEW FIELD.
THE GROWTH OF PLANTS GREATLY
STIMULATED BY IT.

STIMULATED BY 1T.
CURRENTS PASSED THROUGH THE GROUND
HASTEN THE HARVEST AND INCREASE
THE YIELD-ELECTRrc LIGHTS
IN LIGHTHOUSES.
Though 1t has long been known that atmospheric
electricity plays an important part in the stinula-
ton OF vegetable growth. hitherto no pracucal use
has been made OF the knowledge. Some french sci
entists have for some time been making expert
ments to learn the exact effect Of electrici'V on
plants, and the results seem to indicate that
most va.ua BILE aid 10 agriculture has been dscoV-
cred.
Tho agricultural experiment stations IN TINS cou'-
try now testing several different systems vi
eiccroculiure OF these Is to furnish electricity
direct to the roots Of the plants and the SOIL IN
which they grow by means OF dynamo Another
is the distribution OF atmospheric electricity by
similar me thods Tests are also being made with
lights to light up fields at night.
Al the Government experimental station a' AM
herst. Mass. two plots OF ground are us'" %
which 10 compare IT., plants grown naturally with
those treated by electricity. one OF the gardens
is in n natural state and the other Is surrounded
with timber frame upon which are mounted
porcelain nsulaiors. From each insulator IS
stretched a copper wire which runs under the
earth at depth Of about two ihches' i"c wiz
Ia continuous all around the garden ana 'eads mo
an adjacent building containing the dynamo. W men
the dynamo is working a current OF electr'clV II
kept flowing through the soil by means OF the
wires ramfyng in all directions under the sur
face.
The electric garden has been found TO bear more
heavily than the natural one. while all the see"s
sprouted and plants blossomed earlier some pants
came 10 maturity earlier than others out all were
stimulated more or less by the electric current
for farr~er and though all right In theory are
too costly in practice Moreover the attendance OF
an expert electrician Is required to Keep the dya-
mo in running order.
The new invention recently made in France Is
much cheaper and apparently very effective IL Is
called the geomagnetifere, and makes use OF the
electricity always present in the atmosphere. II
consists Of an ordinary pole some forty or hfiy
feet in height surmounted by chevaux de rise
OF copper spikes. which act as collector OF the
electricity in the air. The collector Is lhsu'a'eu
from the pole by porcelain knob ana connects
with a copper wire also insulated from the pole'
which transmits the current to a network OF wires
laid under the soil at depth Of about six feet
These wires are made OF galvanized iron and their
cost is insignificant BY the use OF this apparatus
the production OF a plot OF ground has been IN
creased 20 per cent. The grapes from vineyards IN
which the geomagnetfere is used are rcher IN
sugar and alcohol than ordinary grapes when
stimulated II
fume besides coming to maturity in shorter
time The action OF apparatus using atmosphere
electricity IS not so powerful tina, from dyna-
mo but the effect on the vegetation appears to be
moro even. Experiments with batteries were not
so successful. owing to the difference in the ress-
lance OF the soil in various places
Whom seeds are treated with the powerful current
~ q Ruhmkorff oil the yield is far greater than
ordinarily. Peas. beans and corn grew with as
tonishng swiftness and even date stones have
been made to germnate most unusual tning 10
happen I'm a cold climate The development OF the
rows OF plants in electric garden is very even IN
character except when batteries are used. In this
case the crop varies in character according as one
particular section receives more or less OF the
electric current.
Az the Ithaca (N " experimental station
nlants have been subjected to the action OF the
electric light az night BY this means the growth
of the plant proceeds both by day and night Arti-
fetal light produces the same effect on plants as
does sunlight only in a lesser degree An amber
colored globe is placed over the light. because the
orange rays are more valuable to vegetation than
the others Plants In greenhouse Illuminated by
sunlight during the day and by an arc Hght al
nigh, were found 10 mature much earlier thdh IN
a graenhouse lighted only by the sun. The nearer
the plants are to the light the faster their CROWN
1t noticed that the arc light had a curious is
attraction for some plants. These would be lounl
each morning 10 ,ean toward II at an angle or 10
degrees In ring the day they would straighten up.
but at night they would again bend toward the
light. ,,. 5 .h
color OF flowers 10 become deeper and richer. IN
a few days however. they lost their Intensity OF
color al the same time blossoming more pro-
fusalv In the case OF viOets II was found that
Tho continuous light made them bloom in three
weeks while those only receiving sunlight did not
bear a bud for five weeks. ,,,,
II would seem that the electric current Is likely
10 be moro eficacious than the system OF con
tinuouslv keeping the plants In bright light BY
tho former method the growth OF the plant is
stimulated during working hours, so 70 SPEAK,
while in the latter case the plant Is kept growing
day and night without any Intervals or rest The
exact chemical action which the electric current
has upon fruits and vegetables has not yet been
determined II is only certain that such action
takes place. Some hold that II acts by aiding the
plants 10 assimiate the azOte or nitrogen OF the
atmosphere while others think that II favors the
assimilation OF certain mineral salts In the soil
At the present day successful farmer mas 10 be
something OF a chemist and 1t looks as If he would
have To turn electrician.