Division of Botany. 



Asa S. Kinney. 



For the piist century and a half, scientists have been at work upon 

 the relntioii of electricity to plant life.* Since the experiments of 

 MainWray in 174G, who was the first to study the influence of elec- 

 tricity upon the growth of plants, such men as Jolabei t, NoUet, 

 lugenhouse, Sylvestre, Sii' Humphry Davy, Humboldt, Wollaston, 

 Becqnerel, Sheppard, Ilubeck and many others have been prominent. 



♦The following- uxpei-iments by Mr. Asa S. Kinney, a graduate of the 

 Massacliusetts Agricultural College in the class of 1896, upon electro-germination 

 were made for the purpose of gaining some definite knowledge of the influence 

 of electricity u|ion plants. There are many doubts among physiologists as to the 

 claims made for electricity upon iilant growth, the cause of which is due to the 

 fact, that the experimental data are snri)risingly noted for the hick of definite infor- 

 mation which they convey. JNIostolthe deductions made, have been based upon 

 merely superficial observation. 1 know of no experiments along this line, in 

 which numerous measurements and comparisons of a large number of treated 

 and normal plants, placed under exactly similar conditions have been made. 

 Notwithstanding this, every now and then, we read about the modern farmer 

 equipi)ed with a dynamo, forcing strong currents through the soil, claiming as a 

 result, that he can raise four or five crops to tlie ordinary farmer's one. Such state- 

 ments have little value other than a sensational one, although it must be said that 

 there are facts underlying these statements which possess a reliable basis. All exper- 

 imenters however, havenot been able to obtain positive results by the use of electri 

 city. Itcan readily l)e seen from the results of Mr. Kinney's experiments that many 

 of the negative results, which hiive often been reported, can be accounted for by the 

 fact that the strength of current which accelerates germination and growth is 

 quite limited and consequently a current which did not come within this limit 

 would have no effect. 



These experiments, as well as inany subsequent ones, siiow conclusively that 

 electricity, when properly applied, accelerates germination and growth, and fur- 

 thermore that our experiments have progressed far enough to show that, in many 

 respects, electricity acts quite similar to light in its stimulating effect. There 

 remain however many important questions to be settled before we know^ def- 

 initely the proper methods of electrically treating plants in the soil, such for 

 example as the best methods of aiiplying the stimulation, what strength of cur- 

 rent is best to secure the maximum growth and whether it can be profitably 

 applied in greenhouses. The results in the following paper are based upon the 

 measurements of about 3000 roots and nearly 1000 stems, and in all of the experi- 

 ments, except in tables XII-XIX two hundred seeds have been planted under 

 exactly similar conditions. Bj- this method the variations which are too often dis- 

 regarded, such as variations due to external influences and the ever presentindivid- 

 ual variations have been eliminated so far as possible. 



G. E. Stone. 



