Mr Pouillet on the Flectricity of Elastic Fluids. 57 



to this sj^stem, it will distribute itself in the twelve capsules, and 

 cannot run into the earth, nor even pass into their exterior sur- 

 face, for it will be arrested upon the edges of each of them by 

 means of the film of gum lac. But instead of thus giving them 

 electricity, which it would be perhaps difficult afterwards to take 

 away, they are made to approach a condenser. The superior 

 plate is put in communication with one of the capsules by means 

 of a wire of brass, and its inferior plate in communication with 

 the ground by the same means. These communications are 

 established in sucli a manner as to maintain themselves during 

 several hours or even several days. In the mould of the cap- 

 sules we now sow the grain, (corn for instance), the effects of 

 which we intend to study. The moment the experiment is 

 begun, the laboratory is to be closely shut, and neither fire nor 

 light, nor any electrical body, is to be admitted. 



In the drj^ north and east winds of the month of March, 

 these precautions were sufficient, and I observed the following 

 phenomena : — 



During the two first days, the surface of the mould was 

 dried up, and the grains swelled ; the germ had come out 

 of its envelope about a line, without appearing above the 

 thin stratum of earth which covered the grains ; and the con- 

 denser, after repeated trials, gave no trace of electricity. The 

 third day the germs had come out of the ground, and begun 

 to raise their points towards the window, which had no shut- 

 ters ; then, upon trying the condenser, I saw for the first time 

 a divergence in the gold leaves. Thus the rapid action which 

 the rising germ exercises upon the oxygen of the air disen- 

 gages electricity. This electricity is resinous in the capsules, 

 and consequently vitreous in the gas which it disengages. The 

 apparatus is put into its usual state, and after the lapse of 

 some hours, it is charged with a fresh quantity of electricity. 

 It is curious to observe the effects of night, for we know that 

 during this period in general the plants comport themselves 

 otherwise with respect to air. 



The next day, in the morning, upon visiting my apparatus, 

 it gave a strong electric charge, and the electricity had not 

 changed its nature. From this moment the vegetation has con- 

 tinued active enough during eight days ; and in this interval, 

 I had incessantly observed the condenser at all hours of the 



