Year: 1871

A pamphlethasi been pubEshed.by the Phils


adelphla Society for promoting. Agriculture,
. which contains an. article by General A. j.
! PleasantOn, first read before the society last


month. The article is destined to attract


worldwide attention, for the General claims to


have made wonderful discovery, which is so


simple in its application it may be practically


made use of by every farmer. For ten years


he has been conducting scientific experiments
in regard to the chemical powers of the SUM-
light, or more especially ill reference to the


magnetic, electric and thermic wonders of the
violet ray and it's effect upon the growth of
vegetation and animals So long ago as 1866,
Sir John Newton discovered that the violet
ray of the prism had the greatest indlce of
refractiOn, and Sir John Herschel found that
the chemical power of the solar ray is greatest


in the violet ray. Taking these facts, with the
fact of the permanent and all-pervading blue
color of the sky, so varying in intensity of col
or, according to season and latitude, General
Pleasanton made number of practical exper-
inents, which have produced the most won
derful effects. He built grapery, causing the
violet rays, by means of cOlOred glass, to fall
upon the growing vines. The young vines
were set out and at once commenced most
wonderful growth, which has continued up to
the present time, period of some tenyears.
The first year some of the vines grew more
than forty feet in length, and the second year
they were covered with punches of grapes,
bearing some twelve hundred pounds. This
development astonished all who saw it, as well
it might when we are reminded that in grape
growing countries, period of time of
from five to six years will elapse before sim
gle bunch of grapes can be produced from a
young vine Such a'growth was never seen be-
fore. The next year these vines produced
some two thousand pounds of grapes, and
they have continued to bear large crops of
fruit without intermission for the last nine
years


An experiment upon pigs was made with
very gratifying result, and it was found that
those which had been subjected to the influence
of violet rays developed faster, and weighed
more than those exposed to the ordinary sun
light. A most extraordinary effect was pro-
duced upon a puny Alderney bull calf which
was thought to be too feeble to raise. When
put under the violet rays, in less than twenty
four hours marked change took place, and
from that time on the development of the an
ima was wonderful he manifesting great VIZ
vaciiy and full masculine vigor. The same ex-
periments have been applied to poultry with
great success. One can scarcely conceive Of
the unreasonable value of this discovery to
agricultural people


There seems to be an intimate connection
with the blue, stimulating ray of the sun and
electricity, which is the very fountain head of
the existence of vegetable life. Herein con-
sists the secret OF successful agriculture. All
we have wanted heretofore has been some
practical application of this secret to agricul-
ture. and this appears to be in fair way of
solution by utilizing the blue rays of the sun
after the manner set forth by Gen. PleasantOn.