The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-02

inches. in the green dollhouse s inches
in he blue dollhouse, 6 inches. ~
bloomed and fruited equally well in ~
white and red hothouses. but perisbed ~
the green and blue. Peas bloomed /, "a
the holhouses except the blue Onlv -
peas in the red and white houses frIi,ss
Grapevines in the red house deveIorSt
most, but seemed TO lack vigor.
Perhaps the most interesting exrert
ments were made with various frui,-,r,.
ducing plants-for instance, with sfrsu-
berry vines. It was found that tbras
stra wberry plants in the blue botb,,ss
produced five small sberries. A like nuns
of plants. reared under conditions exarG.
similar in the green dollhouse yjeIds1
twelve berries. Three more in the "a
house. brought forth twenty-five berries
while three an the white house prodnoe1
seventy-three. The berries grown in ~
white house were nearly twice as largs
as the best grown in other houses. the r9i
house being second in this respect Nh
Strawberries grown under colored lis5.s
were watery and insipid.
For several reasons the experiment.
made in lighthouses are not wholly satisf,s.
tory. and so q plan was devised for grow.
ing plants under the color bands Of =,
prism. For this purpose an enornlor,
prism of glass was constructed. and was
filed with turpentine, which has a ligb
power to refract light. Then an electra
light was thrown through the prism. wiz,
a great magnifying lens interposed he.
tween it and the plants under observa.
ton. In this manner a series of lghA
bands of different colors was thrown upon
an area of specially prepared soil. ami
the best possible opportunity of vegetal
specimens planted in the strips thus mark.
od Out If is easily rpo1sgad +bot ,
photograph of them at the end of sixty
days. say, would give a most interesting
notion of their Development comparative
ly considered, under the lights of different
colors.
Plants owe their cO.ors chiefly to light,
For example, the green color of leaves
due to the presence of a substance called
chlorophyn. can be produced only in the
light. 1t is the same way with the brilliant
hues of flowers. NJ. Flammarion has found
that lilacs, under red, green or b.ue glass
become absolutely white. Furthermore, he
has ascertained that by very simple means
it is possible to obtain on one stem lilac
flowers of all shades from white to violet
red. This is accomplished by putting lit
tie hoods over the pannicles during differ
ent periods. More remarkable still ara
the notifications in the form, size. and
color of leaves obtained by the use of lights
of different colors. Purple leaves. or i'll
stance, turn to green under red glass.
Similar results are produced with fruit.
such as peaches apples and cherries On
the other hand, carrots, beets, radishes
and potatoes are not affected, being under
ground.
Special experiments were made with A
view of ascertaining the effect of electric
light upon plants. 1t appears that such
light exerts much the same influence uDon
them as sunlight does, only a smaller de-
gree. Indeed, it is quite practicable 10
grow plants entirely by electricity. and
the great Siemens has already predicted
that the thing will be done before long.
using the term electro horticulture" 10
designate this new application of electric
energy. He anticipates that in the future.
as he expresses it, the horticulturist Will
have the means for producing a high DUAL.
lily of fruit at all seasons of the year"
OF course. plants can be forced to keen
on growing by night as well as by day.
by supplying electric light when the sun
is absent.
The growing of plants at a faster rate
than nature can grow them is assuredly
quite a wonderful achievement rejecting
much credit upon human ingenuity. Nor
least interesting of the applications of the
mysterious fluid for this purpose is the
identification of seeds, which, by having
a current passed through them for a few
hours before being planted, are induced to
terminate much more quickly Further
more, the development of the plants them.
selves is FASTENED by applying electricity
directly to their roots through wires lad
underground.