The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-24
TWO CROPS A YEAR.



Philadelphia Record.
The professional statisticians delight in
dismal forebodings based on figures. Thus
one prominent gatherer of doleful statistics
can hardly conceal his satisfaction at being
able to predict the early insanity of all man.
kind. Should the rate of increase of lunacy
continue (and he cannot doubt that it Willy
in given time all must join the melan-
choly procession to the madhouse. He
doubts whether there will remain enough
sane persons to keep the crazy under SUBJ
lection. more eminent statistical person.
Sir Michael Giffen, president Of the London
Statistical Society. declared ten years ago
that the starvation Of millions could be a
question of but few years because the in
crease in population is out of all proportion
to any possible increase of cultivated acres.
He proved by statistics of agriculture that
we had virtually reached the limit of food
production. In the light of this President
Roosevelt's efforts to raise the birth rate in
America must seem like reckless folly.
Evidently it did not occur to the gloomy
statistician that it might be practicable to
double the agricultural product without any
extension of the cultivated area. The reali-
some parts of the Southern States two
crops year of certain products are not in
frequent When the summer happens to be
unusual as to rain and warmth even the
orange trees produce two full crops This
suggests that if 1t be practicable to give to
the ground the required degree of heat for
a second crop there is no obvious reason
why the product should not be doubled. A
Berlin scientist has experimental on a small
scale with gratifying results. He ran wires
underground across his field and turned on
electricity enough to impart a gentle
warmth to the soil. Not only did he have
vegetables long before the usual time but
they were of unusual size and exceptional
quality. In our own country, two years ago,
man. in this State was arrested for steal
ing electricity from a trolley company. His
trial explained the mystery of the early
vegetables which had enabled him to crow
over his neighbors. He had used the cur
rent TO warm his garden patch.
Last year the chief engineer of the Brook
lyn Rapid Transit Company succeeded in
producing the earliest potatoes, tomatoes.
peas, beans and other garden truck that had
ever been known in his neighborhood. This
proud record was achieved by fitting up his
garden with incandescent lamps, thus COM
polling the plants TO grow by night as well
by day. Now it is proposed to combine
the two methods. The exDerimenter does
not doubt that the earth can be forced to
work overtime and produce two crops a
year.
mot only did get two crops last year..
he says, but my vegetables were twice as
large and twice as juicy as those of my
neighbors.' To all who intend TO try this
he suggests the use of very gentle current,
since too much electricity may blight the
crop.
In view of the importance of more and
better food articles the cost of the electric
current for light and warmth cannot be
counted great When other experimenters
shall repeat the success in Germany and
in this country the market gardeners will
promptly equip their fields with electric ap-
planes. As between the use OF electricity
to produce two crops year and the starva-
ton which has troubled the statisticians
mankind will choose the former In time
our billions of acres of cultivated land will
be stimulated by electricity, and we shall
continue to enjoy full rations.