The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-03

T q q = q A s. :
Electro culture j
b. Erederi,
The problem OF feeding Europe IS
to be partly solved in the near future
by methods recently discovered for
increasing the production OF food
through the utilization OF electricity
in agriculture.
1T has just been announced that
England will turn all her grazing
lands into wheat fields bearing crops
for the; next harvest Sir, Oliver
Lodge has already demonstrated on
his own farms the possibility Of max
ling every acre yield an increase OF at.
least forty per cent over its ordinary
crop by electro nlture. When the
English grazfng lands are growing
wheat 10y electrically aided agricul-
OF bread. either for her soldiers in
the field or heir families left at home.
The scientists OF every country are
experimenting with a view to increas-
ing the value of electroculture to the
farmer and gardener, and at least half
a dozen methods or applying electric
currents to food production are add-I
ing daily TO the worlds supply. Sir
Oliver Lodge has been especially In
terested in increasing the wheat sup
ply and the electrical farm apparatus
of his invention Is believed to minimize
both expenditure and labor He has
demonstrated that a two-horsc power
oil engine can drive a dynamo capable
of supplying ample electricity for fer
|tilizing an eighteen acre wheat field
The electricity is conducted through
wires charged positively stretched
across the field high enough not to I'M
terfere with walking under them, and
by negative wires Connected with the
earth. The two kinds Of electricity,
positive and negative, strive to meet,
causing discharge OF electricity be-
tween the overhead wires and the
ground, which stimulates the growth
OF the crops. 81
Professor Lendstrom, Swedish
scientist, made electrocultural discov-1
cries which antedated those Of Sir
Oliver Lodge, but his methods were
not so effective, although an increased
production of rye. barley and oats was
secured by them. The Lenstroms sys-
TEN consisted OF stretching netting
of copper wire across a field a few
inches from the ground. An electric
current generated in building at che
side of the field was made to trans
verse this netting few hours q day.
1t has recently been applied with ey-
lcellent results in New South Wales,
where records show an increase OF
from fifty to 128 per cent in the value
| of the strawberry crop; from thirty
| five TO forty per cent in the potato
crop; and a general average of forty
| five per cent in other crops, including
wheat.
| The Ienstrom system has been
lslightly modified in South Wales, but
| the principle is the same 1T has been
found that the cost of this electro
culture for q twenty-five acre wheat
field includes about $500 for the in
stallation and SIPS for the annual
| npkeep, but the additional production
4 for the first year not only pays for
the upkeep, but also for two-thirds OF
the first installation expense, 50 that,
after the third year, tremendous
profit is assured.
5r The Department Of Agriculture OF
4 the United States is now conducting a
series of experiments in electroculture
upon it's experiment farm at. Airing
4 ton. Va, the results of which are not
sEyet ready for pub ton. 1t is work
ling chiefly with the overhead discharge
Il system Instead Of having charged
wires near: the ground they are raised
about ten feet upon insulators and
tcharged for several hours each day ny
means of a mica plate electro-static
Il machine. It has been demonstrated at
darlington that, all plants do not re-
stspond equally to electric stimulant.
A tobacco crop experimental with last
Il year did not seem to be affected at all
i The good effect Of electricity upon
the soil is due to its nitratizing in
4 fuence. Every farmer knows the
value Of nitrate as fertilizer While
lit may be applied directly, electricity
lis helping food production Indirectly
3Iby producing, in larger quantities than
lever before, such substances as cal
Scium hydrates, better known as nj
;ttrohn The DEVELOPMENT Of these
products through electro-c chemistry
Ehas already gone far to I'LL the deficit
8of the falling supply Of Chill can salt
tpetre. The great e1ectro-chem ical
plant at 3Niagare Falls is producina
H .unheard of supplies Of these products
E:assi f in answer to Sir Olive r Lodges
Hgreat query 81 hen the wheat crop
fails, what tt % IS
Is In Germany and other countries
Having much natural water power
Il great electro oh emicai laboratories
ARE adding these fertilizers TO the
.FoV- So, 1o. n11f -feae