The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-03-23
ELECTRICITY ON FARMS.
IARNESSiNC NATURES MIGHTY
FORCE FOR THE FARMERS BENEFIT.

Them to Electrical Treatment Grow.
ing Vegetables by Electrical Procs IS.
Since electricity became n science,
sarDus efforts have been made to de-
termine what effect, il any, 1t has
upon the growth of plants and vege-
tables. Many heated discussions have
attended the tests by those who have
entertained opposite theories, and it is
therefore particularly interesting to
know TINT the experiments carried on
Tor some time past at the Government
Agricultural station at Amherst,
Mass, indicate that the use of cleo
tricity by the farmer is distinct
stimulus to nature and exerts n marked
influence upon the termination of
seeds and the growth of farm produce.
The A b G of the scientists argu-
ment in favor of the use of electricity
on the farm is that roaming around
loose in the atmosphere there is n vast
fund of electrical force, which, by
means of specially devised apparatus,
can be attracted to earth and distribu-
ted through the ground in which the
farmer has sown his seed. The appa-
ratus by means of which the electrici-
ty is caught and harnessed for the use
of the farmer has been thoroughly
tested ut Amherst and has proved to
be complete success. Briefly de-
scribed, it consists of q number of
copper spikes, which are elevated Mt
the top of 50-foot pole. These spikes
gather the electric fluid and convey it
to the foot of the pole, where it is
caught by wires buried few feet be-
meath the ground and distributed over
as much of the earth as the farmer de-
sires. SO much electricity is there
wandering around loose in the atmos-
phere that one of these poles can catch
and distribute enough to electrify
several acres of ground.
With this apparatus experiments
have been made which may be summa-
rized as follows: After seeds had been
subjected to the electric treatment for
period of twenty-four hours, it was
found that over 3Oper cent. more seeds
were germinated by the aid of elec-
tricity than in q like quantity of seeds
sown in ground that lacked the cleo
trical stimulant. As the scientists in
charge of the experiments wished to
make very complete test, the electric
current was applied to seeds that were
allowed to stay in the ground for forty
eight hours. 1t was found that 90
per cent. more seeds had germinated
in the electrified ground than in the
soil where the seeds had been left To
in seventy-two hours this percentage
had dropped to six, thus showing that
the use of the current for the purpose
of stimulating termination under all
the tests was decided success.
Another interesting experiment was
made by planting in two sections of
ground, the soil in both of which had
been carefully selected to ensure it be-
ing exactly alike, seeds of the follow
ing varieties: Parsnips, lettuce, car
rot, turnip, radish and onion. To one
section of ground mild current OF
electricity was applied. The follow
ing day the plants in the electric plot
began to appear, the turnips sproutine
first. The rapidity of the growth OF
those planted in the electrically pre-
pared ground was far in advance OF
those planted in the ordinary ground.
The second day plants broke through
the surface in both plots, those in the
electric garden showing considerably
the more rapid growth; the foliage
was rank and when harvested was
nearly twice as high rs that of the
non electric plot. The roots were also
larger, and showed marked differ
ence in favor of electricity. One pc
culiarity was that in the electric plot
for every pound of roots very nearly a
pound of tops was produced, while in
the other case for every pound of tops
there grew l.43 pounds OF root, but
the difference in The total was all in
favor of electricity. With reference
to the other vegetables, the lettuce
proved II failure in both plots. The
carrots showed a marked superiority
in the electric bed over those of the
non-electric. The onion plants came
up in both beds 4,d grew finely for a
time, then blasted, and not one devel-
oped, either electric or non electric,
this being the only case of all the
Vegetables tested where no tangible
results were obtained.
Next to the parsnips the radishes
gave the next best results. They
grew rapidly, those in the electric gar.
den being always ahead. The tops
were rank aud the roots were crisp.
When the best of the radishes in each
plot were pulled, washed and weighed,
it was found that the six largest roots
taken from the electric plot weighed
two ounces more than the six largest
taken from the non-electric plot.
They were larger individually, the
taproot longer, OF finer favor, OF
better quality, more brittle and every
way superior to those raised without
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