1897.] ESSAYS. 19 



grape ; fig ripens after fig. At these gardens' farthest bounds were 

 beds of many plants that blossom all the year." 



ELECTRICITY. 



After preparing this paper I found a paper on P^lectricity as applied 

 to Horticulture, which threatened to nullify all I have said on the 

 subject iu hand, and I have thought it might be interesting to give a 

 short synopsis of it. Passing over the account of the use of electricity 

 as a dynamic power in horticulture and agriculture, I will quote the 

 statement of some of its direct effects on vegetation. One experiment 

 of applying an electric current to the seeds and afterwards to the soil, 

 resulted in raising radishes 17 inches long and 5| inches in diameter. 

 Some five years ago the faculty of Cornell University began some ex- 

 periments, with most gratifying results ; early vegetables, such as spin- 

 ach, radishes, lettuce, etc., were brought to maturity iu about half the 

 time usually required. 



Four years ago, Mr. Rawson, a market-gardener in Arlington, 

 noticed that the flowers in his garden which were subject to the elec- 

 tric lights, grew rapidly and vigorously, outstripping all others in the 

 garden ; so he set up in his large hothouse a similar light. The result 

 was that the early vegetables grew in a much shorter time than in the 

 ordinary way, while the quality was much superior, and the profits of 

 his business were increased from 25 to 40 per cent. 



The French have put in practice a process of gathering electricity 

 from the atmosphere, which is done by laying a network of wires in 

 the garden, and connecting them with a copper wire that runs to the 

 top of a pole 40 feet high, surmounted by a collector, insulated by a 

 glass knob. The height of the pole enables the collector to gather the 

 electricity in the atmosphere from a large area, and when transmitted 

 to the garden through the wires it produces better results than the 

 electricity generated from a dynamo. By applying the arc-light 

 directly to the plants, their growth was so accelerated that many ran 

 to seed before edible leaves were formed. I have never learned of 

 but one parallel to prematurity like this : it was that of a child named 

 Heinecken, who knew the incidents of the Pentateuch at the age of 

 one year ; had mastered all of the Sacred History at two years ; and 

 was intimately acquainted with modern and profane history and geog- 

 raphy, and spoke French and Latin, besides his native tongue, at the 

 age of three years, — at the age of four, he died of old age. 



