Dr Fyfe*s Experiments on Electro-Culture. 153 



2d August. — Watered the pots. 



4M. — Plants revived. 



6//i. — All healthy again ; cresses in ground-plots continue 

 healthy. 



28M. — Up to this time inspected the plants in all the dif- 

 ferent places, again and again, but never could observe the 

 slightest difference between them — that is, comparing plot 

 with plot, pot with pot, and one part of the box with the 

 other. h.\> this time they were all in flower, each two having 

 come into flower at the same time. 



After this I never could observe any difference. 



I have thus recorded faithfully the results of the trials I 

 have made, on the proposed application of electricity to ve- 

 getation. From what has been stated, we must, I think, 

 conclude, that, in these trials, no benefit whatever has ac- 

 crued from the different processes followed. It must not, 

 however, from this be supposed that I have come to the con- 

 clusion that electricity is of no avail in promoting vegetation ; 

 and that, therefore, electro-culture must be abandoned, as a 

 delusion. I must confess, that, from the mode in which it 

 has been proposed to apply the electric agent by Dr Foster, 

 I have my doubts as to the plan being of any service ; at 

 same time, I cannot but condemn the very hasty conclusions 

 at which some have arrived, and the very severe animadver- 

 sions that they have thrown out, without having given the 

 plan the scrutiny to which it was entitled ; for, surely, if the 

 results of an experiment have been recorded, and in which a 

 decided benefit is stated to have taken place, it is not in the 

 true spirit of philosophic induction to meet that statement, 

 and to try to prove its fallacy by assertions not supported 

 by experiment, but founded merely on preconceived opinions ; 

 far less does it become any one to bring into ridicule, by as- 

 sertions thus thrown out, the efforts of one who, from all 

 that we can judge, has given a faithful record of what he has 

 done, and done with the view of benefiting others. Those 

 who act in this way, forget that the ridicule they attempt to 

 heap on others may recoil on themselves, — and recoil with 

 redoubled force, should the results they have attempted ta 



