312 



LIGHT, HEAT, 



Sect. XIII. 3. 2. 



propofed 



& 



thods for 



pply 



cr 



ele£l:ricity to agriculture 



and gardening, has alfo repeated a numerous fet of experiments ; and 

 ;ws, that natural ele£lricity as well as the artificial increafes the 



fh 



/ 



growth of plants, and the germination of feeds ; and oppofes Mr 

 Ingenhouz by vtry numerous and conclulive fads. lb. Tom. XXXV 



p. 40 



My friend Mr. D. Bllfborrow In J 



I 



797 fowed muftard-feed 



dl in Leiceflerfhi 



four garden pots at Mr. Hartop's at Dalby Hall in 

 He fubjeded one of thefe to pofitive or vitreous eledricity, and an( 

 ther to negative or refinous eledlricity, and obferved that the feeds 

 the pot fubjeded to the negative or refinous eledricity germinated 



day before the pot fubjefled to pofit 



electricity 



d 



both of them much before the two pots, which were not eledrifed, 

 but otherwife expofed to the fame circumftances. 



Nor do the injuries occafionally received from lightning in its paf- 

 fage through trees or corn fields from or to the earth or clouds, which 

 are mentioned in Se61:. XIV. 2. 3. in the leaft invalidate this opinion 

 of its general utihty as well as that of the fluid element of heat : 



for 



the excefs of the mofl falutary flimuli become deleterious both 



getable and animal bod 



2. Since by the late difcoverles in chemillry there is reafon to be- 

 lieve, that water is decompofed in the vefTels of vegetables; and that 

 the hydrogene, or inflammable air, of which it in part confifls, con- 



butes to the nourifhment of 



fins, gums, fugar, &c 



plant 

 And 



late 



md 



iWy 



th 



e 



F 



produdli 



of 



dricity has by 



per 



been found to decompofe water into the two airs. 



med oxygen and hyd 



th 



powerful analogy to ind 



bod 



believe, that it accelerates or contributes to the growth of ve^^e- 

 ; and like heat may pofTibly enter into combination with many 



form the bafis of fome yet unanalyfed acid 



3 



The folution of 



air or in 



q 



fecm 



acq 



eledric matter at the fame time, as appears from an experiment of 



Mr 



