Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-28
PLANTS NEED LIGHT. Abandoned Coal Mine Lighted Up Grows Plants and Flowers.

A novel proposition in truck gar dening and fruit and flower culture comes from Indiana, and is attracting the attention of the agricultural de- partment. In temperature Indiana is somewhat cratic, passing rapidly from extreme heat to extreme cold, yet the soil Is so rich that the state has long been famed for producing great crops of about everything known to grow in the temperate zone Now comes Col Frank R. Posey who proposes to produce. in the country made classic by the Wa bash, all tropical fruits and flowers, and in the depths of winter supply new vegetables for the table: and what is still more singular the propo- sition looks quite feasible. Southern Indiana is full of abandoned coal mines. from which the "dusky dia- monds' have been taken. Col Posey owns one of the abandoned mines and he now proposes to make it over into a thing of beauty by turning 1t into a rose garden and truck patch. | Up to within very recent period 1t has always been held that sunlight | was necessary to the growth of vege- | tation: that there was some chemical qualities in the suns rays without which no vegetation could thrive. Ev
 cry reader will remember the story .n the school books about the potato vine In the cellar struggling toward the little light coming through hole | in the foundation walls. It is possible that story furnished the only real basis for the belief that sunlight was necessary to transmute the seed into ' the full and succulent vegetable. Re- gently cornell university made some experiments that while not altogether successful, yet tends to destroy the sun theory. and to establish the fact that artificial light will produce for
 vegetation just what the sun has hitherto done Acetylene gas Is to be | the successor of the sun in the sub- teranean gardens of Col Posey. In | the various chambers of his aban- doned mine he has an actual acreage of about fifteen acres. one hundred ' feet below the surface. Investiga- ton has demonstrated that the ten- perature never varies. but remains at
 about 55 degrees. and 1t is said this
 is the best temperature for tropical plants and flowers. It is also said
 that the air ip these underground chambers is stIrcharged with carbonic
 gas. and carbonic gas Is one of the strong clements in healthy plant life. Col Posey proposes to light his under ground gardens by aeetylene gas. and
 when he desires to force rapid growth to keep this light burning constantly thereby giving the plants no rest and
 nothing to do but grow. He expecr< to begin active gardening by the first of September. hfs first experiment be- Ing the cultivation of mushrooms. let thee anl celery for winter markets. Later he will turn his attention to the raising of figs and oranges and devote a large part of his ground into a rose garden as he feels sure that he can excel any florist in the country 1 in producing roses. His experiment win he watched with great interest by others besides the authorities of the agricultural department Col Poaey is a man of scientific attain ments and has the means to give his experiment. q fhoroueh test He is a lawyer by profession. but is also well informed and scientific serfcul- '.turist. spd wiIl give his theoFy an A -haustive trial