PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 21^ 



way embankments. I would like .also to see pears plenty enough to 

 feed the whole population. 



LIGHTNING AND BARN-BURNING. 



This was one of the questions appointed for discussion to-day, 

 and was introduced by the secretary, who read the following 

 paper : 



"Are barns more often struck" by lightning than other build- 

 ings? The United States now contains about 30,000,000 of 

 people, with about seven persons in each of say 4,200,000 dwel- 

 lings. About 5,000,000 farmers, with same proportion of persons 

 have about 700,000 barns. At this ratio, there might be more 

 than four times as many dwellings struck as barns. The facta 

 can be ascertained. The impression has long been, that when 

 barns have their harvest in they are attractive of the fluid by 

 the medium of the gas from their contents ascending. The object 

 of the inquiry is the means of security. Single rods are appa- 

 rently not always reliable. It is not doubted that an extensive 

 spread of metal difiuses lightning. Are buildings safe with 

 metal roofs ? Flag-staffs have been torn to pieces on their tops, 

 and no mark of injury left about the dwelling. Then for 

 economy, place a stout rod on the center of a wooden roof, and 

 attach to the bottom, Avhere it touches the roof, a number of tele- 

 graph wires, carried in many directions to the ground. Would 

 the stroke on the centre rod be carried safely off by such radii ? 

 If so, the plan is vastly cheaper than an entire metal roof? 

 Faraday experimented on iron cages suspended in air — in one of 

 them a man ; in another small cylindrical one, a mouse. The 

 cages powerfully charged with electricity, produced no effect on 

 the man or mouse. The plan of one central rod, with many 

 wires covering the building, may produce like results. The 

 American Institute will be glad to record in its transactions all 

 proper statist^ics as to these questions." 



Mr. Carpenter stated the fact of two barns being burnt this 

 season in Westchester county, which had as good rods as could 

 be provided. He also stated the fact that locust trees were 

 oftener struck than any other trees. 



The secretary stated that it was a very rare occurrence that 

 anything in this city was ever struck. 



Mr. Dodge of New Jersey, thought that the best way to pre- 

 serve buildings from damage Avas by lightning rods. He thought 

 iron roofs attracted the fluid and conducted it ofi" by the leaders. 



