" THE LEAVES OF THE TREE were FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS. 1 ' 63 



ing force, as practical tests will always show the wonderful fertilizing 

 power of electricity through impoverished soil, and its fatal effects on 

 parasitical pests*' nature's scavengers" including the phylloxera " (in 

 as effective a manner as Professors Mengarini, Bernardi, Martinotti De 

 Meritens, Riviere and Tolomei's electric methods to destrov undesirable 

 fermenting germs in wine. The latter professor experimented, during 

 91, on the action of an induction current on the fermentation of the 

 must, and came to the following conclusion: 



1. The development of Saccharomyees ellipsoideus (peculiar insect pests) is 

 largely prevented by the action of the electric current, and when the latter is strong 

 enough to produce light in a dark room its development is stopped. 



2. The liquid that has undergone the action of the electric current keeps well 

 without developing any fermentation, just as if it had been boiled for some time. 



3. The ferment (i. e. the bacteria) is destroyed by a strong electric current." 

 Professor E. W. Hilgard, California University.) 



" Batteries for instance, may be safely and effectively used to cleanse 

 and vitilize all vineyards irrespective of extent or position. Similar treat- 

 ment is applicable to orchards, and, with some modifications to cultivated 

 lands in general. But the electrical action has to be helped sometimes by 

 the employment of an emulsion aforesaid. What this emulsion consists 

 of and how it is aoplied, when and how to treat the diseased, weak or 

 poorly-fed vegetable productions electrically, and in which way to set out 

 and grow the fringes and belts of eucalypti, I shall now proceed to des- 

 cribe in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawing aud to 

 the letters and figures thereon, which form part of this specification. 



Figure 1 of said drawing is a broken plan of a vineyard surrounded and 

 divided by fringes and belts of eucalypti, showing what I consider a suit- 

 able way of carrying out my invention. 



Figure 2 is a broken sectional elevation giving a practical illustration of 

 the manner of conveying an electric current to a row of vines or other 

 plants. 



Fig 3 is a top view showing how the wires from battery may be con- 

 nected with and disconnected from the vines or other plants undergoing 

 treatment. 



Figure 4 is a detailed view of insultating tubes which may be used where 

 the electric wires rest against vines or other plants that no longer need to 

 be electrified. 



Figure 5 is a diagramatic view of the electric supply fluid conveying 

 wires, and plants in the circuit, showing how several rows of vines or other 

 plants may be treated with electricity from one and the same source. 



A represents vines, which by preference, are set out ten feet distant 

 from one another, in parallel rows about the same distance apart. B and 

 G respectively designate rows of eucalyptus trees disposed in fringes and 

 belts round and through the vineyard, the trees in each fringe and belt 

 ranging from three to eight feet and upwards apart, as determined by cir- 

 cumstances. Each row of eucalypti is about twelve feet distant every- 

 where from the nearest row of vines, and a distance of about one hundred 

 aud sixty feet intervenes between each belt, as also between the end fringes 

 and the 'nearest belts. The number of intersecting belta G is, of couse, 

 determined by the size of the vineyard, which, as the lines G. 'G. 2 in- 

 dicate, can be of any length. In laying out the fringes and belts, the plants 

 Eucalypti rootiugs are set in properly prepared trenches at least four 

 feet deep and if possible filled in round plants with a mixture of sand and 

 earth. When planting, the roots should be given a longitudinal and down. 



