Additional Notes, 441 



city, as well as the artificial, increases the growth of plants, 

 and the germination of seeds; and opposes M. Ingenhouz 

 bv very numerous and conclusive facts. Ibid. torn. xxxv. 

 p.' 401. 



" Since, by the late discoveries or opinions of the Chemists, 

 there is reason to believe that water is decomposed in the ves- 

 sels of vegetables ; and that the hydrogen, or inflammable air, 

 of which it in part consists, contributes to the nourishment 

 of the plant, and to the production of its oils, resins, gums, 

 sugar, hcc. and, lastly, as electricity decomposes water into 

 these two airs, termed oxygen and hydrogen, there is a power- 

 ful analogy to induce us to believe that it accelerates, or con- 

 tributes to the growth of vegetation, and, like heat, may pos- 

 sibly enter into combination with many bodies, or form the 

 basis of some yet unanalized acid." 



For a number of years after the experiments of Mr. Maim- 

 BRAY, and the Abbe No i let, by which it appeared that 

 electricity had been found to forward the germination and 

 growth of vegetables, there was no doubt enleriained of the 

 truth of their doctrine. It remained uncontradicted until Mr. 

 SwANKHARDT published the facts which he had learned from 

 Mr. Inge N HO u 2. Since that time the number of sceptics 

 or opposers has increased ; and it seems to be now doubtful 

 whether the first experimenters on this subject were not mis- 

 taken. — M. Sennebier, in a late work, concludes that the 

 influence of the electric fluid on vegetables is at least dubious. 

 —See Pht/siologie Vegetale^ &c. torn. iii. p. 399. 



Controversy respecting the Franklinian Theory, p. 2Q, 



The principal advocates of the Franklinian theory^ viz. 

 that all the phenomena of electricity may be accounted for 

 by the different states and operations of one homogeneous 

 fluid, are Canton, Le Roy, Priestley, Henley, Bec- 

 CARiA, CwALLo, MoRGAN, and several Others. To the 

 class of those who reject this theory, and consider the agency 

 of two electric fluids as necessary to be supposed, belong 

 Symmer, Eeles, Cigna, Adams, Cuthbertson, Dar- 

 win, Brooke, and several other distinguished writers oa 

 this subject. 



Those who adopt the opinion tliat there arc ixco electric 

 fluids, are, however, by no means agreed among themselves. 

 Some, as Symmer, Eeles, Adams, 6cc. believe in two 



3L 



