520 



Beside garilon A was prepared another plat of the same diineiisions, having the 

 same kind of soil andtreateil in like manner as the first, but the clettrical apparatus 

 and -nires svere wanting. At the close of the experiments only three plants had par- 

 tially developed and two of these were nearly destroyed by mildew — one only was 

 free from the disease. The results therefore show that the healthiest and largest 

 plants grew in the electric plat. 



In tlie second experiment, which we called B, twenty plants of the same variety 

 of lettuce and of equal size were taken. The treatment given was the same as the 

 plants in garden A received. Five j)lants only remained unaffected with mildew; seven 

 died from the disease when they were half grown; the rest were quite well dev<d- 

 oped, but at the last part of the experinient began to be affected. Several heads 

 were large, the largest being over the greatest number of wires and nearest the elec- 

 trodes. I^xamination of the roots disclosed the same phenomena as in A. 



Near garden B were also set twenty other i)lants, subjected to like conditions as 

 the first, but without electricity; all but one died from mildew before they were half 

 grown, the solitary plant that survived being only ))artly developed at the close of 

 the experiment, and even this was badly affected with the disease. 



Everything considered, the results were in favor of electricity. Those ])lants sub- 

 jected to the greatest electrical iuHuence were hardier, healthier, larger, had a better 

 color, and were much less all'ected by mildew than the others. Kxperiiiients were 

 made with various grasses, but uo marked results were obtained. 



Massachusetts Hatch Station, Meteorological Bulletin No. 36, December, 1891 



(pp. 4). 



A daily and mouthly summary tor Decombur, 180J, and a .mmiIv 

 suinmary for 1891 of observations made at the meteorological ob.serva 

 tory of the j^tation, in charge of C. D. Warner. V>. S. 



The yearly summary for 1801 is as follows: Prossiire (inches). — 

 Actual maximum reading 30.44, November 10, Khi. m.; actual mininuim 

 reading L*8.40, January 12, a. m.; mean reduced to sea level 3(>.018; 

 annual range 2.04. Air tini pvrot iire (de<xvcos ¥.). — Maxinuim Ul.~), .June 

 10; minimum 0, February 15; mean 40.7; annual range Ol.o; maximum 

 mciui daily 70.0, June l.~), 10; minimum mean daily 11.3, March 2; mean 

 maximuni 57.2; mean minimum 41.8; mean daily range 15.4; maximum 

 daily range 30, ]\Iay 10; minimum daily range 2, ^larch 0, December 25. 

 llumUVitii. — ]Mean dew-point 40.1; mean force of vai)or 40.45; nn-an rela- 

 tive humidity 0(>.S. \Mn(l (prevailing direction). — N 19 per cent; S 13 

 per cent; XW 12 per cent: SSW 11 ]ier cent: total movenn-nt 15.l'12 

 miles; nuiximum daily movement 44.3 miles, March II; minimum (Uily 

 movement 3 miles, January 1; mean daily movement l."»I.;; miles; mean 

 hourly velocity 0.3 miles; maximum ]»ressure i)er square foot 10.25 

 pounds — 57 miles per hour — January 23, 3 p. m. rrccipitntiou. — Total 

 rainfall or melted snow 34.82 inches; number of days on which 0.01 inch 

 of rain or melted snow fell 112; total snowfall in inches 54.25. Wcnthrr. — 

 Mean cloudiness observed 53 per cent; total cloudiness recorded by the 

 sun thermometer 2.220 hours, or 50 per cent: number of clear <lays 145; 

 number of fair days 103; number of cloudy days 117. Jiright suiisliinr. — 

 Nundier of hours recorded 2,245; mean ozone 48 per cent. Ihttis of 

 frost.— Uist, May 10; first, October 12. Jhttcs of y/jo^r.— Last, May 5; 

 first, November 26. 



