about four inches wide, and the strands by a space of one-half 

 inch. These frames were buried in the soil of the plot at 

 a little depth, so that the roots of the garden plants set would come 

 in contact with the wires, the supposition being that the currents of 

 electricity passing along the wires would decompose into its consti- 

 tuents the plant food in the vicinity of the roots and more readily 

 prepare it for the plants. Two electric gardens were thus prepared 

 and each furnished with two common battery cells, so arranged as to 

 allow continuous currents to pass through each series uf wires. Near 

 each electric garden was a plot prepared in the same manner, save 

 the electrical apparatus. We will call the two gardens A and B. 



The place chosen for the experiments was in a part of the green- 

 house which is given up largely to the raising of lettuce, and the 

 gardens were located where much trouble from mildew had been 

 experienced. The reason for this choice of location was to notice, 

 if any, the effect of electricity upon mildew, this disease being, as is 

 well known, a source of much trouble to those who desire to grow 

 early lettuce. The soil was carefully prepared, the material taken 

 from a pile of loam commonly used in the plant house. 



Garden A was located where mildew had been the most.detrimen- 

 tal ; the experiments began the first of January and closed the first 

 of April. For the garden, fifteen lettuce plants of the head variety 

 were selected, all of the same size and of the same degree of vitality, 

 as nearly as could be determined ; the plants were set directly over 

 the wires, so that the roots were in contact with the latter ; the plants 

 were well watered and cared for as in ordinary culture, and the fluid 

 in the battery cells was renewed from time to time, that the current 

 of electricity might not become too feeble. At the close of the 

 experiments the following results were noted. 



Five plants died from mildew, the others were well developed and 

 the heads large. The largest heads were over the greatest number of 

 wires and nearest the electrodes. It was further noticed that the 

 healthiest and largest plants, as soon as the current became feeble or 

 ceased altogether, began to be affected with mildew. On examining 

 the roots of the plants it was found that they had grown about the 

 wires, as if there they found the greatest amount of nourishment ; 

 the roots were healthy and in no way appeared to have been injured 

 by the current, but, rather, much benefited by the electrical 

 influences. 



Beside garden A was prepared another plot of the same dimen- 

 sions, having the same kind of soil and treated in like manner as the 

 first, but the electrical apparatus and wires were wanting. At the 

 close of the experiments only three plants had partially 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 plot. 



