The evening times., 1895-09-16
ELECTRICITY AID TIE SOIL
Experiments Show he Subtle Fluid 70 Be
4 Splendid Fertilizer.
Charged Wires In Gardens Caused
Greater Yield OF Vegetables and
a Richer ColorIng in Flowers.
New York Tribune.)

/
atmospheric electricity plays an important
part in the stimulation OF vegetable growth,
hitherto no practical use has been made OF
the knowledge. Some French scientists
have for some time been making expert.
ments to learn the exact effect OF cleo
tricty on plants, and the results seem
to Indicate that a most valuable aid to
agriculture has been discovered.
| The agricultural experiment stations In
this country are now testing several diff
ferent systems of electroculture. One OF
these is to furnish electricity direct to the
roots OF the plant and the soil in which
they grow by means OF a dynamo. Another
Ia the distribution OF atmospheric electri-
city by similar methods. Tests are also
being made with arclights to light up fields
| at night.
At the Government experimental station
at Amherst, Mass, two plots of ground
| are used by which to compares .the plants
| grown naturally with those treated by
electricity. One of the gardens is in a
! natural state and the other is surrounded
| with timber frame upon which are
mounted porcelain insulators. From each
insulator is stretched a copper wire. which
runs under the earth at a depth of a bout two
| inches. The wire is continuous all around
| the garden and leads into an adjacent
building containing the dynamo. When the
| dynamo Is working a current of electricity
is kept flowing through thesoil by means of
the wires ramifying In all directions under
| the surface.
The electric garden has been found to
bear more heavily than the natural one,
while all the seeds sprouted and plants
blossomed earlier. Some plants come to
maturity earlier than others, but Ill were
stimulated more OF less by the electric
current. Electrical machines are too ex-
pensive, however, for farmer, and though
all right in theory, are top costly in practice.
Moreover, the attendance nc an expert cleo
trician is required to keep the dynamo in
running order.
The new invention recently made in
France is much cheaper, and apparent
ly very effective. 1t is called the geo.
magnetifere. and makes use of the cleo
tricity always present in the atmosphere
It consists of an ordinary pole some 40
or 30 feet in height. surrounded by
chevaux de frise of copper spikes, which
act as a collector OF electricity in the air.
by a porcelain knob and connects with
n copper wire taIso insulated from the poIe)
which transmits the current to network
of wires laid under the soil at a depth CT
about six feet These wires are made OF
galvanized iron and their cost is insignifi
cant. By the use of this apparatus the pro-
duction of plot Of ground has been in
creased so per cent The grapes from |
vim do in xx-iS sbp ifpr.. 10
used are richer in sugar and alcohol than |
ordinary grapes. When stimulated in this |
way flowers have a stronger perfume, |
besides coming to maturity in shorter /,
time. The action of apparatus using at |
mosperic electricity is not SO powerful as |
that from n dynamo, but the effect on the |
vegetation appears to be more even. Ex-
periments with batteries were not so sue
cess.ul, owing to the differences in the
resistance Of the soil in various places.
When seeds are treated with the powerful
current of a Rumhkorff coil the yield is
far greater than ordinarily. Peas, beans,
and corn grew with astonishing swiftness,
even date stones have been made to ger
inmate, a most unusual thing to happen in
a cold climate. The development of therow
|
in character. except when batteries are
used. In this case the crop varies in char
acter, according as one particular section
receives more or less OF the electric current.
At the Ithaca. n. Y, experimental sta
tion plants have been subjected to the action
of the electric light at night. BY this means
the growth Of the plant proceeds both by
day and night. Artificial light produces the
r,vo fIra- lSof,t 1x-
in lesser degree. An amber -colored globe
is placed over the light, because the orange
rays are more valuable 10 vegetation than
the others. Plants in a greenhouse illu-
minated by sunlight during the day and by
an arc light at night were found to mature
much earlier than in a greenhouse lighted
only by the sun. The nearer the plants are
10 the light the faster their growth.
II was noticed that the arc light had a
curious attraction for some plants. These
would be found each morning 10 lean to-
ward il at an angle of 45 degrees. During
night they would again bend toward the
light.
The continued light day and night caused |
he color of flowers to become deeper and
icher. In a few days, however, they
ost their intensity of color, at the same
line blossoming more profuscly. In the
'ase of violets it was found that the con-
inuous light made them bloom in three
weeks, while those only receiving sunlight |
lid not bear q bud for five weeks.
1t would seem that the electric current
S likely to be more efficacious than the
ystem OF continuously keeping the plants
n bright light. By the former method
he growth OF the plant is stimulated
uring working hours, so to speak, while
n the latter case the plant is kept growing
ay and night without any intervals of ,
st. The exact chemical action which
he electric current has upon fruits and ,
egetables has not yet been determined.
is only certain that such action takes
lace. Some hold that 1t acts by aiding
he plants to assimjlate the azote or nitro
en- of the atmosphere, while others think
hat it favors the assimilation of certain
lineral salts in the soil.
At the present day successful farmer
as to be something of a chemist, and it
,oks as IL he would have to turn electri,
ian.
School Principals Sons Suicide.
Worcester, Mass. Sept. 16.-Philip Rus I
H. son OF Priucipal E. Harlow Russell | 8