WATER POWER AND ELECTRICITY. 



ELECTRICITY FOR CANALS AND FARMS. 



IN the great cities of the world, there are few who 

 are not familiar with the manifold uses to which 

 electricity has been put, and we can safely say that 

 this country holds the palm for enterprise in that con- 

 nection. Yet to those who have watched its develop- 

 ment, it is palpable that the science is yet in its 

 infancy. Books have been written and predictions 

 have been made concerning the wonderful develop- 

 ments which future generations are to witness, and 

 while it is not our intention to speculate on the un- 

 doubtedly great results which, in the progress of time, 

 fresh experiments are sure to bring forth, we will 

 notice briefly two very remarkable uses to which 

 electricity has been put during the present month. 



At Brighton, N. Y., on November 18th, an official 

 test of electric propulsion for canal boats took 

 place in the presence of Governor Flower and a nu- 

 merous and distinguished company, and was a pro- 

 nounced success. The experiment was made with an 

 ordinary canal boat, which had been fitted up with 

 motors and trolleys like a street car. The machinery 

 and motor worked perfectly, and at times a speed of 

 eight miles an hour was attained. The boat was 

 crowded to its full capacity, so that the test might be 

 complete. The only difficulty lay in keeping the boat 

 in a sufficiently straight line to keep in connection 

 with the overhead wires, but this can be easily reme- 

 died by the use of flexible trollies, so that the boat 

 can be moved from the bank as well as midstream. 



When generally adopted, the use of electricity as a 

 motor power will effect a revolution in canal traffic. 

 At present, there are, in round numbers, 3,000,000 tons 

 of merchandise sent through annually, from Buffalo 

 to New York, on canal boats. We do not think Gov- 

 ernor Flower over-estimated the mark when he said 

 that with a perfected electric system the traffic would 

 reach 12,000,000 tons. It is, indeed, a great change from 

 horse and mule power, and from a speed of two miles 

 to one of eight miles per hour. It is estimated that 

 the expense of operating by electricity will be only 

 half that of steam. 



for his invention of the geomagnetifier. These 

 consist of a resinous pole forty or sixty feet in 

 height, supporting an insulated galvanized iron 

 rod, terminating on the top in five branches of 

 copper. This attracts the electricity generated by 

 storms, etc. At the bottom this collector of electricity 

 communicates with a system of iron wires, spaced 

 6 feet apart and buried in the ground, and which dis- 

 tributes the fecundating fluid through the arable soil 

 to be influenced. This installation will last for 

 several years, and a height of 50 feet is considered 

 sufficient for 30 acres. 



In one experiment over a radius of 65 feet, planted 

 with potatoes, the stalks grew to an extraordinary 

 size, and preserved their verdure and freshness for 

 an exceedingly long time. There were produced in 

 an influenced section of 2 quadrilaterals each of 50 

 feet superficies 198 pounds of tubers, where an unin- 

 fluenced one produced but 134 pounds. At this ratio, 

 an acre fertilized with electricity would give 30,800 

 pounds, to 20,370 pounds in the uninfluenced acre. 

 This result was obtained without special manuring, 

 and from a potato of feeble rendering. Equally suc- 

 cessful experiments have been conducted in the case 

 of vines, celery, radishes, spinach and sugar beets. 

 If the success which attended these experiments 

 continues, the use of electricity as a fertilizer is des- 

 tined to be of momentous importance to the wide- 

 awake farmers of this country. Competition has 

 grown too keen for such a powerful agency in induc- 

 ing crops to be overlooked or neglected. Nature 

 certainly provides us with plenty of electricity. If 

 anything, our farmers have rather a grudge against 

 her on that score, and will be glad to avail them- 

 selves of the geomagnetifier to help them in crying 

 quits. 



ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



ELECTRICITY AS A FERTILIZER. 



The Montbrison Society of Agriculture, in France, 

 has decreed a silver medal to Brother Paulin 



A bill has been introduced in Congress by Senator 

 Peffer, providing for the establishment of an experi- 

 mental station for testing the use of electric power 

 for farm implements and machinery, to be under the 

 supervision of the secretary of agriculture, and an 

 appropriation of $10,000 is named for the first year's 

 expenses in putting the plan into operation. 



