34 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Table 2 shows that atmospheric electricity does not in- 

 crease the total number of seeds germinated over the total 

 germination of those not charged, and that it does not bring 

 to life seeds that have lost their vitality. Seed of a very 

 low per cent, of germination were used. 



The results obtained from these experiments confirmed the 

 work done in 1896 at this station by Asa S. Kinney, on 

 "Electro-Germination."! Kinney found that: first, elec- 

 tricity exerts an appreciable influence upon the germination 

 of seeds ; second, the application of certain strengths of 

 current to seeds for a short period of time accelerates the 

 processes of germination ; third, the application of electrical 

 currents to seeds does not increase the total percentage of 

 germination. This latter result shows a direct opposition 

 to the results obtained by Paulin. Paulin claimed that the 

 application of electrical currents awakened to life seeds which 

 had apparently lost vitality, and gave an increased percent- 

 age of germination in all seeds thus stimulated. 



Effects on Plant Growth. 

 In some of our experiments three young tomato plants 

 were placed in the large glass case and allowed to stand for 

 eight hours. This was done in order that the plants might 

 become accustomed to the changed conditions and to their 

 new environment before being experimented upon. In these 

 experiments the air in the case was charged every eight 

 hours (at 7 a.m., 3 p.m. and 11 r.M.) to a potential of from 

 100 to 2,000 volts, as recorded by the electrometer and the 

 growth of the plants recorded by the Pfefitr-Baranetzky self- 

 registering apparatus. This method of measuring the growth 

 proved unsatisfactory and was soon abandoned, and the fol- 

 lowing method, which proved more satisfactory, was tried. 

 One plant at a time was placed in the case and allowed to 

 stand for a few hours, as above ; the plant was then set up 

 near the glass on one side of the case, and the growth meas- 

 ured by means of a horizontal microscope Avith a micrometer 

 scale attachment, the microscope being placed on the outside 



' " Electro-Germination." Bulletin No. 43, Hatch Experiment Station. 



