Blondeau found that apples, pears and peaches, ripened and mel- 

 lowed earlier under the influence of electricity, seeds germinated 

 quicker, plants grew faster, the stalks were stronger and the color 

 of a darker green. 



In 1882, Tschinkel showed that seeds germinated from six to eight 

 days earlier in soil through which an electric current had circulated, 

 the plants having a quicker and healthier growth. Tschinkel thought 

 this was due to the decomposition of salts and other constituent 

 parts of the soil. 



Professor Holdefleisz experimented with copper and zinc plates and 

 batteries carrying on the two experiments simultaneousl}', and 

 selected for this trial sugar beets and potatoes. The row subjected 

 to the batterj' current did not show any unusual benefit in quantity 

 or quality, but the row with copper and zinc plates gave an increase 

 of fifteen per cent in beets, and twenty-four per cent in potatoes. 

 The cost of the apparatus for this experiment was trivial. 



Oberamtman Braune experimented with the copper and zinc plates 

 and battery currents and his results confirmed those of Professor 

 Holdefleisz. 



The most extensive experiments in the employment of electricity in 

 agriculture, however, were carried on by Professor Wollny of Munich. 

 Summer rye, radishes, rape seed and potatoes were selected. He 

 claims to have received negative results in most cases. He found 

 no variation in the germination of seed or in the growth of plants. 

 The potatoes showed an increase of six per cent in quantity and a 

 slight improvement in quality, and after various experiments. Pro- 

 fessor Wollny came to the conclusion that direct application of 

 electricity was harmful to plants. 



During the experiments mentioned above, there was little or 

 nothing done to determine the quantity of electric current used at 

 any given time. In some special cases, however, a galvanometer 

 was employed to prove the existence or non-existence of a current, 

 but there was no apparatus used for noting the exact number of 

 amperes or volts. 



We may reasonably suppose that some plants are very susceptible 

 to the effects of electricity and thereby would be injured by a small 

 amount, while other varieties are capable of enduring a strong cur- 

 rent and even under its influence take on a healthy appearance and 

 develop an abnormal growth. Hence, it is just as important to 

 understand the exact quantity of electricity to which the plants are 



