12 MR. stone's ADDRESS. 



To the aid of agriculture, the animal creation, the treasures 

 of the earth, and the riches of the ocean have been made tribu- 

 tary. But not contented with these resources, man has grasp- 

 ed the fiery element of the skies, and pressed it into the same 

 service. Science has now demonstrated that electricity is in- 

 timately connected with vegetable life, and that its application 

 to plants greatly accelerates their growth. "Many observing 

 farmers will, no doubt, have noticed, that vegetation proceeds 

 more rapidly after a thunder storm, than after one which shows 

 no electrical phenomena ; and we find, on examining the va- 

 rious formations of the parts of plants, that they are well adapt- 

 ed for the passage of electricity through them, either from the 

 earth or the atmos'phere. Witness the points and serratings, as 

 well as the hairs and down on the leaves, all good conductors, 

 and calculated for affording it a silent and easy passage.*" 



For the discovery of this use of electricity, the world is in- 

 debted to a lady. With the aid of a common electrical ma- 

 chine to which was affixed a wire conductor, she supplied a 

 certain portion of her garden with a constant flow of electrici- 

 ty. -'The eftect was, that vegetation did not cease in the win- 

 ter on the spot under the influence of this wonderful power, 

 and that what snow fell during the continuance of the experi- 

 ment never remained, as it did on the rest of the garden 

 around."! 



Interesting experiments have recently been made, both in 

 this country and in England. By electricity collected from 



provided already with phosphate of lime, can its effects fail to be permanent. In arid 

 soils, it is, if properly applied, of great value, as it infuses that strength and solidity into 

 the juices vvhicli enable the plant to withstand the drought. To this object, one of my ex- 

 periments has been devoted with perfect success. On a soutliern bank my peas were green 

 and fresh, while those of my neighbors, with manure, were brown and burnt up. This, 

 and every other efficient action of guano, is produced by reflecting on the growth and po- 

 sition ot the roots of plants, and placing the guano in such a situation that they may reacli 

 it when they are of pretty good strength, and the moistmo of the soil has sufficiently de- 

 composed the manure ; but sowing the seed in contact with guano, or placing it where the 

 young sprouting root touches it immediately, is sure to cause a failure. The same is sure 

 to ensue when the guano is spread on the surface, so that animoniacal virtues escape info 

 the atmosphere." 



*N. Y. Farmer and Mechanic. 

 tLondon Spectator, Oct. 26, 1844. 



