A GALVANIC PLANT-INVIGORATOR AND OXGENIZER
Year: 1885

page_text: I, RICHARD GEORGE OWEN of No 40, Warwick Road; Earl's Court, in the Parish
of South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for A GALVANIC PLANT-INVIGORATOR AND OXGENIZER
to be as follows:-
This invention is designed to supply a mild form of electrical current similar to
that pervading the earths crust and thus to prevent sourness in the earth of plants
confined in pots, which sourness gives rise to mouldiness or fungus and speedily
impairs the vigour and health of the plant.
In the earth of the pot I insert two plates or plugs, forming the poles of a
battery at a short distance from one another, as for instance at opposite sides of the
plant, but connected by a conducting wire.
These poles being thus in electrical contact form the two poles of a weak kind of
battery and would be composed respectively of copper and zinc or other suitable
material for forming positive and negative elements.
To prevent the excrescences of oxydation of zinc (if zinc be used) I enclose the
zinc or negative pole in a suitable enclosure of a porous or partly porous nature.
The two plugs or poles of my battery being inserted in the earth contained in
the flower pot as above stated, and the plant being watered in the usual way, the
soil of the pot becomes an element in a mild form of battery and a gentle current
of electricity is originated, which decomposes the water into its constituents oxygen
and hydrogen, the former being liberated for the use of the plant.
The advantages gained are the supply of galvanic energy to take the place of
the natural currents proved to exist on the surface of the earth; which have an
undoubtedly powerful effect in preventing unwholesome growths in the soil, and
thus causing the removal of any tendency to sourness or acidity in the earth of the
pot, and consequently the prevention of any fungoid growth in or on the soil.
The plant growing in the pot being liberally fed with oxygen displays increased
vigour and retains its vitality and beauty for a much longer time than if left to
take its chance in the ordinary way.

page_text: I, RICHARD GEORGE OWEN, of No 40 Warwick Road, Earl's Court, in the Parish
of West Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention is designed to prevent sourness in the earth of plants or seeds
confined in pots, which sourness gives rise to mouldiness or fungus and speedily
impairs the vigour and health of the plant or seed.
It is also important as supplying oxygen to plants or seeds subjected to the
unhealthy conditions of city life.
To construct my Galvanic invigorator I insert two plugs in the earth of the
flower pot at a short distance from one another, as for instance at opposite sides of
the plant, but connected by a conducting wire.
These plugs being thus in electrical contact, form the two poles of a mild kind
of battery, and would be composed respectively of copper and zinc, or other suitable
material for forming a galvanic current.
To prevent oxydation of the zinc, (if zinc be used,) I enclose the zinc or negative
pole in a suitable covering of a porous or partly porous nature, such as flannel, or
cork, or porous earthenware.
The object of this covering is to prevent dissolved zinc from passing into the
earth and so injuring the plant.
The two plugs or poles of my battery being inserted in the earth contained in
the flower pot, as above stated, and the plant or seed being watered in the usual
way, the soil of the pot becomes an element in a mild form of battery and a gentle
current of electricity is originated, which decomposes the water into oxygen and
hydrogen, the former being liberated for the use of the plant.
On the earth becoming dry the action of the battery would cease, and any
polarization resulting from the released hydrogen, would shortly disappear.
The advantages gained are the removal of any tendency to sourness or acidity
in the earth of the pot, and consequently the prevention of any fungoid growth in
or on the soil.
The plant or seed growing in the pot being liberally fed with oxygen, displays
increased vigour and retains its vitality and beauty for a much longer time than
if left to take its chance in the ordinary way.
In the accompanying drawings;
Fig. 1. shews my Galvanic-invigorator applied to a plant growing in an ordinary
flower-pot.
A. is the copper plug, the dotted lines showing its position in the earth of
the pot.
B. is the connecting wire.
C. is the zinc plug. The interior dotted lines showing the zinc in the earth and
the dotted lines D shewing the enclosure of porous material,
E shews the roots of the plant.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The employment of an electric or galvanic current for the purpose of oxygenizing
and invigorating plants or seeds as herein explained and setforth.