230 TRANSACTtOXS OF THE NORTHERN 



The President called for reports from the standing committees, but 

 as many of the members were late in coming to meeting, it was found 

 impossible to take up the subjects in their regular order. 



Mr. Grove Wright, of Rock Falls, gave an account of a series of experi- 

 ments to demonstrate the influence of atmospheric electricity on vegetable 

 growth. He held that the only effect of the passage of a current of 

 electricity through any subject was decomposition. The passage of a 

 current through the earth in the vicinity of the roots of plants would 

 cause decomposition of some substances in the soil, and such a reorga- 

 nization as would furnish plants food which did not exist there before. 

 Mr. Wright has a theory of electricity, which he partially explained, and 

 which, if true, would show that there is a daily and constant flow of 

 electrical currents from the poles to the equator, which must produce a 

 disintegration and decomposition of soils very beneficial to plant growth. 

 The experiments given by Prof. Henry in the patent office reports for 

 1859- — '60 Avere cited to show that there is an atmosphere of electricity 

 surrounding the earth which is more dense near the surface, and rare in 

 the higher regions ; and all the phenomena of electricity are accounted 

 for from the disturbance of this atmosphere, and its tendency to an equi- 

 librium. There is, according to our physical geographers, a current of 

 air constantly rising at the equator, flowing to the poles, and returning 

 to the equatorial regions near the surface of the earth. This current 

 would carry up with it electricity of the density at the surface of the 

 earth ; because the air is a non-conductor this electricity would be carried 

 to the poles, and as it approached the earth it would be drawn from the 

 air to the attraction of the earth and produce a slow discharge which 

 would account for the Aurora Polaris. This electricity which is thus 

 constantly flowing to the earth at the poles would pass through the earth 

 to the equator, to supply the deficiency which is occasioned by the rising 

 of heated air at that place. The passage of such a current of electricity 

 ■under the magnetic needle would cause a variation of the north pole to 

 the west in the northern hemisphere, and to the east in the southern 

 hemisphere, at the time of its passage. This passage of the current on 

 any meridian would be between 8 o'clock a. m. and 3 p. m. for the 

 reason that the heated air is then rising at the equator, and the electric- 

 ity would flow toward that point to supply the deficiency. Now, the 

 fact is admitted that between 8 a. m. and 3 p. m the magnetic needle 

 is deflected to the west, north of the equator, and to the east, south of 

 the equator, from one to fifteen minutes. Such a perfect agreement of 



