92 ELECTRO-CULTURE. 
amount of current that passed was considerably lessened, the 
leakage was never entirely overcome. 
The complete success of investigations in this work 
depends upon an exact knowledge of the ratio between the 
average current densities on the electrified and control areas. 
For this purpose electric measurements are taken daily over 
both plots at various points by means of a sensitive electro- 
meter with indexed scale, having a range from 1 to 800 volts. 
By means of an anemometer recording both direction and 
velocity, a chart of the wind is kept, and on this chart is 
marked the hours at which readings are taken off the electro- 
meter, thus by a series of elaborate calculations the amounts 
of electrification that each plot receives is fairly accurately 
arrived at. 
During the winter season of 1913-14 an experiment was 
conducted under glass at Lincluden House, the conditions of 
which conduced to observations of great accuracy being taken 
between the plants which were electrified and those grown 
for comparison. 
A greenhouse 30 feet by 12 feet was divided in half by 
means of a half-inch mesh wire screen, reaching from the 
roof and well earthed, which effectually prevented any current 
passing through, no wind getting into the house to act as a 
carrier of electricity. A system of charged wires was sus- 
pended over the plants to be electrified, on the same principle 
as that used in the open field. The house was kept at an 
even temperature, averaging 55 deg. during the day and 45 
deg. at night. 
Seeds of barley were germinated in sawdust, and when 
of sufficient size to handle were placed in wide-mouthed 
bottles, covered with brown paper to insure the roots being 
kept in darkness; the bottles were filled by measurement with 
a specially prepared solution of distilled water, in which was 
dissolved the chief ingredients of soil necessary to plant 
growth, with one exception, that of nitrogen. 
Eighty bottles were placed under the electrified wires, 
and the same number kept in the control portion of the house. 
Every ten days the plants were taken out and measured; the 
solution poured out of each bottle and measured in a measur- 
