of uninsulated kites. The lecturer next endea- 

 vored to show tliat the forms and geographical 

 distribution of certain species of plants indicate a 

 relation to their electrical properties. Thus, for 

 example, the numerous Pine and Fir trees 

 which abound in high latitudes, present most ad- 

 mirable extensive discharging apparatus for re- 

 ceiving or di.ssipatiug electricity ; and, suppos- 

 ing the preceding observations correct, such 

 trees would exert most important and beneficial 

 influence in equalizing the electric condition of 

 the atmosphere and tending to produce a great- 

 er uniformity of temperature. Lastly, the sub- 

 ject was considered as a purely practical one, 

 and the prospect which there exists of electrici- 

 ty being advantageously applied to stimulate or 

 assist vegetation inquired into. Mr. Sidnej' 

 seemed to think it very questionable whether 

 electricity could ever be usefully applied to the 

 improvement of agriculture, but in horticulture 

 (in forcing flowers and fniits,) he thought there 

 were prospects of decided benefit; and, there- 

 fore, tliat this branch of the subject was well de- 

 serving a careful experimental investigation. — 

 Electricity, both common and voltaic, might pro- 

 bably be advantageously employed in assisting 

 the germination of old and dry seeds; and like- 

 wise, applied with caution, in the culture of exot- 

 ics and otlier hothouse plants, its use might be 

 productive of good results. 'The lecturer exhi- 

 bited several plants which he had caused to 

 grow in earth under the influence of a feeble 

 current of voltaic electricity, generated by a plate 

 of zinc and another of copper, connected togeth- 

 er, buried in the soil beside the roots of the 

 plants ; and in the case of plants of Potato, Cine- 

 raria, and Mustard, which he exhibited, a very 

 marked effect appeared to have been produced, 

 as the galvanised plants ^vere larger and much 

 more vigorous than those without the plates. — 

 He stated that he had also produced a very good 

 effect on Pines, Cres.s, and Fuschias, but had 

 found plants of Pelargoniums killed by the ap- 

 plication of the zinc and copper plates. The 

 well-known experiment of Dr. Forster, on Bar- 

 ley, was then described, and shown to be a de- 

 cidedly unphilo.sophical arrangement, so that it 

 appeared very doubtful whether electricity had 

 anything to do with the large increase of crop 

 said to have been obtained by that gentleman. — 

 At the same time, the experiment was highly 

 deserving of attention ; and Mr. Sidney suggest- 

 ed that it would be well worth while to try ex- 

 periments on electro-cultivation, describing se- 

 veral which have been commenced in Norfolk 

 and elsewhere, on more accurate principles ; he 

 also gave a brief .sketch of some of the experi- 

 ments on this subject, at present being made by 

 Mr. Edward Solly, in the gardens of the Horti- 

 cultural Societj'. The lecture was, throughout, 

 worded in the most guarded and cautious lan- 

 guage, the whole subject being new, and but 

 vei-y little understood ; it was, therefore, brought 

 forward rather with a view to excite attention, 

 and induce further research, than to propound 

 theories, or make startling assertion.s. Mr. Sid- 

 ney very justly observed, that putting aJl theo- 

 ries a.side, there appeared to be sufficiently nu- 

 merous well-authenticated facts to wan'ant fur- 

 ther inquii-y and experiment. 



From the London Agricultural Gazette, June 7 

 JElectho-Culture. — The extraordinary ef- 

 fect of Electro-culture, as stated by Dr. Fors- 

 ter on his Barley crop, has induced me to make 

 an experiment precisely according to the plan 

 (2-20) 



and diagram given in your number of the Agri- 

 cultural Gazette for April 12tli ; but as I only 

 put the wires down so lately as the 23d instant, 

 after the Barley was above ground, it is too 

 soon yet to expect any difference, and none is 

 yet visible ; but as I purpose making two or 

 three more experiments on other crops, and I 

 observe in your last Number that the experi- 

 ment of Dr. Forster's plan is described as not 

 being a very scientific one, and that experiments 

 are now in progress in Norfolk and elsewhere 

 on more scientific principles, I shall feel greatly 

 obliged to you if you can furnish me with the 

 particulars of such experiments, or of any one 

 that you consider more likely to bring out the 

 best results for my guide, before putting down 

 any more diagrams on this interesting subject. — 

 .?r. Y. Z., A iiubscril/er. [The effect, or rather 

 the tendency of any metallic connection be- 

 tween the soil and the air, some 15 or 20 feet 

 above, clearly must be to induce a similar elec- 

 tric condition between the two — to hinder any 

 irregularity in the distribution of electric influ- 

 ence — -simply because metals are good conduct- 

 ors of electricity. Whether such a result is 

 desirable as regards the crops growing on the 

 soil remains to be ascertained ; but certainly, in 

 order to obtain it that arrangement of wires 

 must be best, in which there is the most perfect 

 connection by conductors between the soil and 

 tlie air. Perhaps other purposes may be an- 

 swered by Dr. Forster's arrangement of wires ; 

 but so far as they tend to connect by electric 

 conductors the soil and the air, we do not by 

 any means think it the best that could be sug- 

 gested. We have had since February a copper 

 wire 120 yards long, studded with upwards of 

 1200 metallic points, suspended in a direction 

 magnetically north and south, hi a somewhat 

 elevated position, at a distance from trees, and 

 at an elevation of 20 feet from the ground ; and 

 this wire is connected with the ground by 

 another, which, when it meets the ground, 

 branches out and spreads over an extent of 

 about the 8th part of an acre, on which Wheat 

 is growing ; but the plants have not ?7i appear- 

 ance benefited the least from it. Dr. Forster 

 declines to be respon.sible (and ju.stly so) for the 

 results of experiments perfonned otherwise 

 than as he has directed ; but we cannot see 

 what influence his arrangement of wires pos- 

 sesses that ours has not in a greater degree.] — 

 The following is another communication on this 

 subject, just received :— Since I communicated 

 my trial of Dr. Forster's plan of electrical cul- 

 tivation, a plot of Potatoes, similarly treated, 

 has been followed by similar effects. The rows 

 within the wire are distinctly visible, thoee with- 

 out only partially appearing. In both ca.ses, the 

 row adjoining the buried wire is favorably af- 

 fected, though not included in the square. This 

 lateral influence every electrician would ex- 

 pect; the great wonder is, how the electricity 

 is so perfectly confined within the wires. — 

 Though, of course, the theor>' is nearly a mys- 

 tery at present, we must infer that the aerial 

 wire collects the fluid and the buried wire dis- 

 tributes it to the ground, through which it per- 

 colates and stimulates the vegetation. Of 

 course if you extend the enclosed area too 

 much, the supply of electricity would become 

 inadequate. If you increase the number of 

 aerial wires you would obtain more electricity, 

 but fail in its gradual and equal distribution. For 

 these reasons, which I think Dr. Forster has mis- 

 apprehended, I still recommend futui-e expori- 



