In the 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 plot A received. Five plants 

 only remained unaffected with mildew ; seven died from the disease 

 when they were half grown ; the rest were quite well developed, but 

 at the last part of the experiment began to be affected. Several 

 heads were large, the largest being over the greatest number of wires 

 and nearest the electrodes. Examination of the roots disclosed the 

 same phenomena as in A. 



Near plot B were also set twenty other plants, 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 partly 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 plants subjected to the greatest electrical influence were 

 hardier, healthier, larger, had a better color and were much less 

 affected by mildew than the others. Experiments were made with 

 various grasses but no marked results were obtained. 



The question would naturally arise whether there ma}' not be a 

 limit reached where electricity would completely overcome the attack 

 of mildew and stimulate the plant to a healthy aud vigorous condition 

 throughout its entire growth. From the fact that the hardiest, 

 healthiest, and largest heads of lettuce grew over the greatest number 

 of currents and nearest the electrodes, it would seem that electricity 

 is one of the agents employed by nature to aid in supplying the plant 

 with nourishment and to stimulate its growth. To what extent 

 plants may be submitted to electrical influence, or what strength of 

 current is best suited to them and what currents prove detrimental 

 to their development, have not been determined as yet, but it is 

 desirable to continue this research until some definite information 

 shall be gained on these points. Probably different varieties of 

 plants differ greatly in their capacity for enduring the action of 

 electric currents without injury — experiment alone must determine 

 this. 



It has been proved that the slow discharge of static electricity 

 facilitates the assimilation of nitrogen by plants. Faraday showed 

 that plants grown in metallic cages, around which circulated electric 

 currents, contained fifty per cent. less organic matter than plants 

 grown in the open air. It would seem from the researches of the 

 latter physicist, that those plants requiring" a large percentage of 

 nitrogen for their development would be remarkably benefited if 

 grown under electric influence. 



