384 Additional Notes, 



much sooner which were kept electrified, than those of the same 

 hatch which were kept in the same place and manner, except that 

 they were not electrified. These ^^experiments of M. d'Ormoy 

 are detailed at lengtli in the Journal de Physique of Rozier, torn, 

 xxxv, p. 270. 



*' M. Bartholon, who had before written a tract on this subject, 

 and proposed ingenious methods for applying electricity to agri- 

 culture and gardening, has also repeated a numerous set of expe- 

 riments ; and shows both that natural electricity, as well as the 

 artificial, increases the growth of plants, and the germination of 

 seeds ; and opposes M. Ingenhousz by very numerous and conclu- 

 sive 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 vessels 

 of vegetables 5 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, &c. 5 

 and, lastly, as electricity decomposes water into these two airs, 

 termed oxygen and hydrogen, there is a powerful analogy to in- 

 duce us to believe that it accelerates or contributes to the growth 

 of vegetation, and, like heat, may possibly enter into combination 

 with many bodies, or form the basis of some yet unanalysed 

 acid." 



For a number of years after the experiments of Mr. Maimbray, 

 and the abbe NoUet, by which it appeared that electricity had 

 been found to forward the germination and growth of vegetables, 

 there was no doubt entertained of the tnith of their doctrine. It 

 remained uncontradicted until Mr. Swankhardt published the 

 facts which he had learned from M. Ingenhousz. Since that 

 time the number of sceptics or opposers has increased 3 and it 

 seems to be now doubtful whether the first experimenters on this 

 subject were not mistaken. — M. Sennebier, in a late work, con- 

 cludes tliat the eftect of the electric fluid on vegetables is at least 

 dabious — Sec Physiologie Vegetate, 8:c. tom. iii, p. 399. 



Kote (E), p. 29. — The principal advocates of the Franklinian 

 theory, viz. that all the phenomena of electricity may be accounted 

 for by the difterent states and operations of one liomogeneousjiidd, 

 are Canton, le Roy, Priestley, Henley, Beccaria, Cavallo, Mor- 

 gan, and several others. To the class of those who reject this 

 theory, and consider the agency of tivo elcclricjluids as necessarj* 



