i6 



A current has plenty of opportunity to spread in a tree, even if 

 confined to a single tissue, hence, in order to obtain a current which 

 will produce heat, it has to be quite strong in a large plant, 

 whereas, in a small plant, heat will develop with less current. The 

 amount of current required to kill a maple tree, 18 in. in diameter 

 by burning will have to be comparatively strong, provided the 



current has to pass through 

 a considerable portion of the 

 tree. If the current, how- 

 ever, is confined in its action 

 to a limited area where the 

 amount of resistance is small, 

 and where considerable heat 

 can be developed, such as 

 might be produced by pass- 

 ing it around the tree, or 

 girdling it, disastrous results 

 might follow from the use of 

 not very strong currents, on 

 account of its being confined 

 to a limited vital area. 



From these observations 

 it is quite clear that, notwith- 

 standing the high resistance 

 of plants, and the limited 

 amount of current, which 

 it is possible to pass 

 through, there may pre- 

 vail a combination of 

 conditions which may 

 prove injurious or fatal to 

 tie organism. The nega- 

 tive results obtained by pass- 

 ing currents through trees, 



Fig. 10. Showing the effect of earth dis- under certain conditions, 

 charges through a tree, causing splitting of fo^ not necessarily prove 

 Jhe tru?ik and destruction of limbs. . . 



that death from electrical 



injuries may not result. It might be possible for trees, in contact 

 with uninsulated wires, to be subject to a strength of current which 



