The Portland daily press., 1898-03-03
ETHERiZlNG PLANTS.
The Results of Experiments With a New
Method of Fastening Development,

|
| (From the St. Louis Globe Democrat
Copenhagen, Feb. 5.-The Agricultural
High School here, which has some of the
most eminent chemists of the age work
ing in it's interests, has made successful
experiments in developing plants with
marvellous rapidity by etherizing them.
Some time ago Mr.. Johannsen, an emf
nent botanist and experimental chemist,
read paper before the school, in which
he explained his methods of etherizing
plants to hasten their maturity, and he
plants he had tested. Immediately after
hearing this lecture the directors of the
agricultural school made preparations to
experiment with ether as plant devel-
oper, and the results of these tests have
| just been obtained as scientific data for
future use.
The method, which promises to super
cede electroculture, is to expose plants to
the ether fumes under certain favorable
conditions. The theory is that the ether
frees the plants Of decomposable matter,
and stimulates them in their growth so
rapidly that they reach maturity much
earlier than by natural growth. The
plants are etherized in very simple
way.
| Cylindrical glasses are used for this
purpose in the experiment ut the school,
SO the operators can watch the progress OF
the plants growth without interrupting
it, For larger plants, as shrubs and
small trees, a peculiarly constructed box,
that is perfectly air tight, is employed.
This box Ia lined inside with tinfoil and
oil painted outside. 1t may be of any
desirable size. A small hole in the lid of
the box is made for introducing the ether,
and this is closed with cork when ev-
cry thing is ready.
The box or glass cylinder Is placed over
the potted plant, and the ether then in
troduced. From 500 to 600 cubic cent?
meters of ether are introduced in a box
four feet high and long and two feet
broad. Then the plant and box are
placed in dollhouse and left there for
twenty-four to ninety six hours.
instantaneous. The plant begins to
awaken, and.the shoots expand and pro
duce new foliage and wood. Their pre-
vious inactivity is replaced by a most
marvellous process of active growth. Tu-
lips, lilacs, carnations, lilies and all other
plants thus treated develop suddenly and
hasten their growth SO that they oansbe
made ready for the market almost at the
VIII of the florist The etheriz1ng Of the
plant costs from one cent to two cents for
| each one, but in view of the extraordln- :
airy results obtained this is hardly worth
considering. Not only are the plants
developed quicker than by natures usual
| method, but the colors of the flowers are
| intensified and made more durable.
| In this respect etherizing is much su-
perior to electrocnlture. some remarka.
| BILE successes have been obtained in the
past ten years In applying atmospheric
electricity to plants for fastening their
maturity. By this method plants and
| flowers have been brought to maturity in
half the ordinary time required by nature,
and the size of vegetables has been more
than doubled. The yield of grains has
been increased so per cent. by electrocul-
ture. So remarkable have the results
been in this line that some scientists
riculture through the application of cleo
| trioity to all growing plants.
| But there has always been one draw
| back to the electroculture of Towering
plants. While the vegetables would be
doubled in size by this method OF stimu-
| lation, and their quality would not be
| impaired, the blossoms of plants would
suffer. They would bloom much earlier
and produce sometimes larger blossoms.
| with rich colors, but they would quickly
| fade. Thus carnations would develop a
rich deep color under the influence of an
arc light, but when removed from 1t the
| flowers would face within tive hours to a
dull gray. The same was true of violets
pinks, roses and ell other flowers. The
electricity in some way seemed to absorb
or exhaust the coloring matter of the
flower, thus making eleotroculture of lit
tie real value to the florist.
| Not 80 with the new etherizing meth
cd of stimulating the growth of flowers.
This promises to be to the florist what cleo
troculture ia proving to the general mar
ket gardener and farmer. The pretty col
ors OF the flower are not only brought
out into strong relief by etherizing, but
they are made more durable than In the
plants grown by the ordinary slow
method. This is due to the fact that
matter, and consequently there ia less
rapid fading of the ooloring matter.
| [ have myself witnessed the magic
transformation Of plants by this process.
Plants of the lilac and tulip order were
taken in the late fall from the greenhouse
and placed under cylindrical glasses.
| They were in their resting period and the
foliage and wood looked dead and brown.
But after the ether was forced under the
glass covering change was gradually
noticeable. In the course Of twelve hours
the plants had picked mp tn cir dropping
leaves and looked thrifty and vigorous.
At.the end of forty eight hours you could
detect minute little buds atieaoh joint of
the leaves. In ninety-six hours tiny new
leaves had started and there were evident
signs OF buds visible.
These discoveries will undoubtedly lead