X 143 ) 



Experiments on Electro-Culture, By Andrew Fyfe, M.D., 

 F.RS.E., F.R.S.S.A., Professor of Medicine and of Che- 

 mistry, University and King's College, Aberdeen. (With a 

 Plate.) Communicated by the Royal Scottish Society of Arts.* 



The interest which has been excited by the publication of 

 the result of Dr Foster's trials on Electro-Culture, has 

 induced me to put the proposed method of increasing the 

 produce of the soil to the test of experiment, not only by the 

 method followed by Dr Foster himself, but also by gal- 

 vanic electricity, as recommended by others, as a more eflPec- 

 tual mode of applying the electric agency. Having fortu- 

 nately had a piece of ground for kitchen-garden under my 

 comnjand, I had it prepared by digging, and manuring with 

 ashes and stable-manure in the usual way, and the crops 

 were put into it at the proper time. (See Plate VIII.) 



The first trial was conducted as recommended by Dr Fos- 

 ter. For this purpose two poles were erected, north and 

 south of each other, and the wire (copper) carried along 

 them, and sunk in the ground, as described by him. The 

 quadrangular wire enclosed seven rows of cabbage plants,— 

 three to the west and four to the east of the poles. Of the 

 twelve rows, as shewn in the plan, 1 and 2 were Victoria 

 cabbages ; 3 to 9, inclusive, early Yorks ; 10, 11, 12, late 

 Yorks. Accordingly, one row of early Yorks was without, 

 and the remainder within, the quadrangle ; and one of the 

 late Yorks was within, and two without, the wire. 



The wire, passing on the north from east to west, also in- 

 cluded part of a row of turnips, sown at the extremity of the 

 cabbages ; and that on the south took in seven of a row of 

 twelve young gooseberry bushes. 



The ground, at the time the wire was erected, was very 

 dry ; and there was also very little sunshine ; thermometer 

 varying from 56° to 44°. Fahr. on 31st May, there was bright 

 sunshine ; thermometer 52°. 



1st June. — Bright sunshine ; weather has been dry. Can 

 perceive no difference between the plants within and beyond 

 the wire. 



8/^ to IStk. — A good deal of sunshine ; weather hot and 



* Read before the Society, December 8. 1845. 



