Division of Meteorology. 



ELECTRICITY IN AGRICULTURE. 

 Clarence D. Warner. 



The influence of atmospheric electricity upon the growth and 

 development of plants has long been recognized, but just what the 

 relation is, experiment has not yet fully determined. To solve this 

 problem, one would naturally turn to batteries, study the effect of 

 currents produced chemically, and from these results draw conclu- 

 sions regarding electricity produced in the atmosphere. Experiments 

 have been made with plants by erecting tall poles crowned with teeth 

 having metallic connections with the earth and some good results 

 have been obtained through this method. In other cases, plates of 

 zinc and copper sunk in the earth and connected with a copper wire 

 along which various vegetables were planted have likewise increased 

 the growth to a marked degree. 



Of the experiments carried on thus far, many contradictory results 

 have been shown. In 1859, Helmert experimented with seeds of the 

 pine tree, peas and lettuce, using copper and zinc plates connected 

 with an exposed copper wire ; he found an earlier germination of the 

 pine tree seeds, but no acceleration in growth ; the peas and lettuce 

 were much benefited, the leaves and blossoms being healthier and 

 the peas were greatly improved. 



Fichtner experimented in the same manner with barley, peas, 

 summer wheat and buckwheat ; the increase in yield was from six- 

 teen to one hundred and twenty-seven per cent higher than in 

 ordinary culture. 



