ELECTROCUTION OF VEGETABLES 



" The general appearance of vegetation along this route is 

 certainly vigorous."^ 



An interesting little experiment was carried out by the 

 author in Glasgow, with the kind help of Professor Blyth, at 

 the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College. By 

 attaching one wire to the upper part of the stem of a young 

 pot-plant whilst the other wire was inserted in the base of 

 the stem, it was easy to show that an electric current was 

 passing — at any rate, during the daytime. In the evening, 

 however, this was not at all distinct. That such currents do 

 occur in living trees seems to be admitted. A similar cur- 

 rent was not found in a stick of dead-wood. The mere 

 passage of the water through the plant in transpiration 

 might, however, cause such a current, for the water is 

 evaporated at the leaves. 



A strong electric shock may of course electrocute a plant 

 by killing the cells. It is possible to cause the Mimosa 

 leaves to close by means of an electric shock. 



1 Squiers, "On the Absorption of Electro-magnetic Waves by Living 

 Vegetable Organisms," December 3, 1904. 



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