The National tribune., 1897-11-04

Asa kinney's invention for the termination
and growth of plants From a utilitarian
standpoint the latter discovery and invention
is OF the greatest Importance, rs it may reyOlu-
tionize our entire system of gardening and
Horticulture. Experiments begun solely to
test the action of electricity upon plants have
proven that with apparatus within the reach
of almost every grower electricity may be
employed to terminate small seeds rapidly
which under ordinary circumstances start
very slowly. Seeds thus terminated by
electrical stimulation give n higher per cent
age of termination than when left to the
quictening processes of nature Electricity
is stimulating in its effects like light, and is
equally effective in promoting growth as in
terminating the seed.
And here is an anecdote of Morse, the in
ventor of the electric telegraph, told by Rev.
George Winifred Hervey, who knew him
well. The two friends met in the AstOr Lii
brary, New York, one day. and Mr.. Hervey
said: Prof. Morse, when you were making
your experiments in yonder in the rooms of
the University, did you ever come to stand,
not knowing what to do next?"
:'Oh, yes, more than once was the reply.
Then, when asked, ''And at such times what
did you do?" he said:
- may answer you in confidence, sir, but
i is matter the public knows nothing about.
Whenever | could not see my way clearly l
prayed for more light"
And the light generally came?"
Yes; and | may tell you that when flat
tering honOrs came to me from America and
Europe, on account of the invention which
bears my name, never felt deserved credit
for them. | had made valuable application
of electricity, not because | was superior to
other men, but solely because God, who
meant it for mankind, must reveal it through
someone, and was pleased to reveal through
me-
Is the work of the inventor inspirational ?
| This is a question which is very much dis
cussed Just now. since the hard materialism
of the 18th century, which maintained, with
Aristotle, that there were four elements fire,
earth, air and water, and that everything
that could not be accounted for was still some
subtle manifestation of these, has been dis
placed by higher forces Science is more
kindly now that it has been brought face to
face with things that cannot be weighed,
measured, or bounded; that cannot be seen
or felt except through their manifestations;
that belong to finer, clearer, subtler realm,
the realm of higher thought.
The inspired poets and prophets sat in the
silence and waited for the spirit to put words
into their hearts. The inspired scientist
leaves his dynamo and electric motor aud
storage battery to sit in the silence and wait
for that inexpre- sibie something to come. by
which the riddle is solved and the puzzle
made plain.
Two illustrations come to mind. Mr.
Edison, how do you do such wonderful
things?n the great electrician was asked.
His reply was: when 1 once get an idea
Just keep at it until | have caught it and
held it and made it my own"
So much for an inventor whose system,
after 30 years trial, came out first best in the
recent Field Day" contest under the
auspices of the Postal Telegraph Company,
when the various transmission methods and
alphabets were tried on their lines. Morse's
first message sent over his lines, g What hath
God wrought" was the mark of inspiration
which he placed upon his work.
The great Austrian electrician, Puluj
pronounced Pulule), is conductinga series of
electrical experiments which, when perfected
are destined to revolutionize the lighting
system of the world. Our present system of
are and incandescent lights will become
obsolete, and coal oil trusts will disappear
from the face of the earth. The result, if
IOuSc, Htdti VI tut VI ca"
perimental physics in University College,
London, can be credited, will be that If
mechanical energy can be converted into
light alone, one man turning the crank of a
suitable machine could generate enough light
for whole city"
The Puluj lamp generates intensely Roent-
gen rays, and transforms nearly all OF an cleo
tric current into light According to meas
urement made by Prof Ebert, German
scientist, n single horsepower of electric en-
ergy would be sufficient to create As, 900
Pulnj lamps. Puluj claims he can fulfill the
conditions of Prof Lodge and if he succeeds
in doing so he will have perfected the most
perfect, as well as the NEST economic, light
ing system in the world.
THE OPIUM AND MORPHINE HABIT.
what We May do to be Saved Z" is little