subjected as it is essential to know the existence of the electric 

 current. 



Some of the negative results recorded by Professor WoUny and 

 others, may undoubtedly be ascribed to a lack of knowledge of the 

 exact point where the favorable influence stops and the unfavorable 

 begins, but as this point may vary with different varieties, intelligent 

 investigation can be made, only by carefully studying the effects of 

 currents of known strength. 



Considerable work has been done toward investigating the influ- 

 ence of electric light on the growth and development of plant life, 

 and experiments in Europe and America (at Cornell University in 

 particular) show that certain plants are much benefited, while other 

 varieties are injured or not at all affected by the powerful rays of the 

 arc light. 



Two years since, experiments dealing with electricity only were 

 begun at this station and the bulletin issued at that time contained 

 the results of growing lettuce under the immediate influence of an 

 electric current generated by several cells of the common fluid bat- 

 tery. The plots experimented with were small, but the results were 

 so encouraging that it was deemed important to try the experiment 

 on a more extensive basis. The first garden was not furnished with 

 electrical apparatus for determining at any given time the quan- 

 tity of current circulating through the wires, hence, there was no 

 definite way of ascertaining to how strong a current the plants were 

 subjected. There were times when the current was stronger than at 

 other periods, as a renewal of the chemicals would produce a more 

 powerful action for a season, which would gradually decrease. Thus 

 the effect of an electric current of a given number of amperes con- 

 tinued for a specified time could not be determined intelligent!}', for 

 only the results of the combined effects of currents of dift'erent 

 strengths could be considered. 



To obviate this difficulty it was decided to arrange a garden and 

 equip it with apparatus by which the current could be entirely con- 

 trolled and measured. For purpose of comparison, two plots of 

 ground were prepared, side by side, each 6x20 feet — one to be used 

 with, the other without electricity. In this paper these plots will be 

 designated as the electric and non-electric gardens. 



The soil was a rich loam, well spaded, and the plots so situated 

 that the rows of the non-electric were the continuation of those of 

 the electric garden, with a space of about twenty inches lying between 



